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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Wednesday, December 28th, 2005

  • Ventura County
    • By

      Water Temp: 58-60

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Caught one good fish and lost another on creature bait. Had one fish about 4 lbs follow up my huddleston, but made no attempt to eat it. Very slow day
      City: Vandenberg AFB

  • Merced County
    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: hunted the morning and then went over to the spill way caught a couple small ones on sardines.
      City: san jose

      Tips: throw sardines in the curent when there pumping water in the lake.

Tuesday, December 27th, 2005

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 55

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Marone .. I tip my hat.. to ya. Hopefully you and family are having a safe and "Warm" holiday season... I will see ya out there...my tip will follow..
      City: morgan hill

      Tips: Take care.. water is cold .. fish safe.. and please , make sure that everyone has some kind of floating device...Water's cold. Have a Happy and Very safe Holiday Season.. Oh by the way..everyone needs to thank all of the ranger's and staff... for their great work. Without them..where would we go... Respect Santa Clara Park's and Recreation.. .Proof of insurance is the next step..believe me...

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 49-50

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: My Brother Benny and I fished 12/26 & 12/27 with minnows and other offering. We fished our regular places we fish at this time of year, deap docks and off shore reefs but only got 3 fish. Went to the new Tackle shop on Lakeshore Blvd. by Redbud
      and spoke to Bob Rider who owns the new shop and said try this other spot, I thought to myself, man I have fished there before with no luck but he said it was good right now so off we went. We caught 17 bass and 5 crappie in that erea and one of the crappie was the size of a medium pizza, I kid you not, I always thought a good size crappie was the size of my hand and I am 6"1 205 lbs but this crappie that my brother cought was 3 to 4 times the size of my hand, we did not have a camera so I told my brother lets take it home so we have proof but he did not want to kill the awsome specimin. This fish could have swallowed 1/2 of a 12 inch bass with no problem.Day 2 12/27 we only got 3 bass in the same general area but the bait fished move off shore about 25-200 yards.
      My brother caught a 5 lb bass about 100-200 yards off shore on a minnow with no off shore rock or anything to attrack the bass other than bait fish and man there was a tone, fish finder was black on a number of times. In the same area we saw some poeple catching bluegills so we bought some nite crawlers to try for bluegill also and we cought about 30-40, we could have caught more but we got bored.
      City: SAN JOSE

      Tips: Go to Lakeshore Bait and Tackle 707-994-fish
      14913-D Lakeshore Dr. Clearlake, ca 95422. Bob Riders shop is very clean and organized and he is very pleasant and will put you on the fish. One more thing I did catch 1 of the 17 bass on crank bait and 3 on roboworm and a few of the bluegill on blastic.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 53

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Back to fishing again, launched at Bridge bay at 0645 in my new boat a 2002 Cobra Coosa. Wanted to try some creeks since we had so much rain, fished the ones that showed alot of fish on my locater and skipped the ones with no fish shown,caught a total of 11.5 lbs with a 4.5 kicker 8fish caught 2 on spinnerbaits and the rest on jigs.
      Only fished til 0930
      City: Redding,

      Tips: Throw blades right into the running water of the creeks holding fish.

Monday, December 26th, 2005

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 49

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Since I had the day off I decided to hit the delta with the goal of locating some clear water after the storms. Since the tides weren't going to be ideal for winter time fishing (i.e. low tide was at 6:35am out of Sand Mound) I decided to just have some fun and observe what I could. I found that working -2hrs->low tide->+2hrs really is the best time to hit the delta this time of year simply because working the outside weed edges is important to finding fish. Conditions were post storm front after nearly 3/4" of rain that fell the night before and almost clear skys for most of the day. Launched out of Russo's and spent a good 1-2 hours jumping around Frank's Tract and the general vacinity looking for deep water and pockets of clear water. After a while I decided to head towards Taylor slough where the water generally stays gin clear all winter long. I ran into a couple of guys on the water who were throwing a drop shot and doing fairly well, but had the same issue that I had with my rip bait -- only the small fish seemed to be active at the moment. At the end of the day I had about a dozen fish however nothing was larger than 1.5 lbs and all were on a rip bait. This is pretty typical when fishing the high tides because you typically have to let the bait sit in the strike zone for 10-15 seconds on the outside weed edge which is much easier at low tide. In all I had fun being out on the water and also ended up catching some sort of carp like fish in/around Russo's on the rip bait. Seems they were schooling up and busting the surface near the docks. No idea what kind of fish it is (maybe a squaw fish or shad). I would have headed towards the central delta looking for less pressured areas that have some clear water however I was running low on 2-stroke oil and the Hook was closed (closed Mon-Tues). At least the weather was nice and it didn't rain.
      City: Pleasanton, Ca

    • By

      Water Temp: 53to55

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: We got to the lake at 9:00am and it was sunny and about 58 degrees but the hard rain the night before moved the bass off from the shallows to depper water. The bass were holding in 15 to 20 feet of water. Pumpkin green jigs (208)yamamoto singletail watermelon w/ red & black flake is still working well. Not many boats on the lake monday there were 3 boats in keep out area and the park ranger is starting to hand out tickets now. Bass are 2 to 4 pounds traffic is lite on weekdays. Main body of lake is producing better fish rock piles and dropoff with rock around them hold bass. fish slow bite was lite yesterday new storms are in the works by weekend.
      City: kerman ca.

      Tips: Fish slow and with rock piles outter edges holding nice bass.Also dropoffs with rock ledges holh fish think crawdads and you will catch fish.

  • San Francisco County
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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the South Lake today from noon to 2:30pm. Primarily fished a wacky rigged 4 inch Senko (cinnamon)and a Chartreuse Bleeding Spinnerbait in about 4 ft. of water. I caught a 14 inch rainbow trout on the Senko. Not a bass is sight, however...maybe next week.
      City: Daly City

      Tips: Keep moving around and fish 'em slow

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 55.3

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: 2 reports in 1 year, hey why not, tis the season. Out of Lime Saddle at 9:15. Only 2 trailers in the parking lot. Lots of wind today and clouds, no rain. Thought a blade or rip bait might work. Nothing on the blade but did get hammered once on the rip bait. Didn't stick with it though and went back to the jig I used 2 days before. Stayed right there in the marina to start and managed some smaller fish in behind the houseboats. Moved deeper into the West Branch and on to a bank I had seen some boats on a couple days before. It proved to be a good move and my best was 2.50. The quality of the fish improved as the day went on. For the amount of water pouring in one would think there would be more color to it, but where I was fishing, there wasn't. The fish are right on the bank, I mean if you throw 2 feet off the bank your throwing behind them. I caught 19 fish on 1 jig before I lost it on some rip rap. Reports indicate a gitzit bite as well.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: Like I reported on Saturday, just put the trolling motor down and fish. Put the bait on the bank or just short of it and work it in.

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: -

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: My freind and i went over to the oneil forebay today and caught a few. Nothing real big the average fish were from 2-4lbs but I'll take what i can get.We got there late in the day and threw some lures for a bit trying to find some active fish but not much luck there so we drifted a little and picked up a few. Weonly fished for a couple of hours and did o.k.
      City: salinas

      Tips: If you're planning on going to san luey go to the big lake and hit the dam with big rattle traps or head to porteguese cove throwin zulus or hair razors. Then if you don't have much luck DEFINATELY drift live shiners anywhere you graph fish1

Sunday, December 25th, 2005

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 53

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of russos went south. Caught nunerous limits of blacks up to 4.5 pounds. !8 lb limit. No big fish connected. Spinners, jigs, cranks.
      City: sacto

      Tips: Drift with current with reaction baits, fish slow and deep for qualityu, Discovery bay a good place to start. Good fishing, Jimbo

  • Westchester County
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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Has any caught carp at quarry lake?
      City: san francisco

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Sorry for the late report. The Redwood Empire Bass Club's last tournament on Decemember 17th was won with 22.55lbs by the team of Steve & John Adams. 2nd. place with 18.54 lbs. (big fish-6.16lbs)was Obie Bowman & Steve Adams and 3rd. place with 18.33lbs went to Dave Nieto & Carson Riley. Joe Leonard & Pat McGee weighed in 18.04lbs. to finish fourth. The bass were caught from 5' to 40' on a combination of crankbaits,jigs and drop shot mostly around wood, grass and points. Overall 19 boats with 38 anglers participated and everyone caught fish. Our next meeting is January 11th at 7p.m. at the Rhonert Park Community Center at the corner of Rohnert Park Expressway and Snyder Lane. We welcome both boaters and non boaters to fish with us. The next team tournament is January 14th at Clear Lake. Click on the club section or call me at 707.758.5762 for mor info.
      City: Santa Rosa

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I went for a while Sat AM. Imagine having a wife that will let you go fishing Christmas Eve. (I'll let you know when I get the bill.) The lake was as fogged in as I've ever seen it, and it took a while to find my spots, but find them I did. After giving directions to a couple of seagulls I found that things had changed a little. The lake has come 4-5 feet and I guess the bass thought that spring has arrived. I found fish much shallower than previous trips, and unfortunately a little smaller, nothing over 4 lbs. The Duh Team spoons are still the ticket but I did catch fish on worms and my old standby, the Gitzit. I didn't try any shore related structure,( I couldn't find it in the fog) but 12 fish in 4.5 hrs on the deep rockpiles isn't bad.
      City: Weaverville

      Tips: Apparently both Swift Creek and the Main Stem blew out with all the rain. The North end above Wintoon was wall to wall debris. Todays' wind (Monday) hopefully sent most of it to shore but watch out.

Saturday, December 24th, 2005

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 55+

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Water wasn't in too bad of shape considering the heavy rains and winds for the last few weeks. Temp came up a bit too...Bounced around testing a few different areas and found quite a few willing rip fish, about a dozen, half small keeps the others undersized. Switched to a Blk/red jig looking for a better bite and had some decent success. Found a ledge holding some 2 1/2 to 3 1/2lb fish willing to play, very suble bites. Slow rolled a wht blade over the same area and had two 3+'s that absolutley crushed it. hmmmm. Went back to work w a jig (blk/blue) and got drilled off a log, set hard, huge roll and off to deep water, yeah baby! A solid 12lbs, only this one was wearing a silver striped tuxedo.... best five largies 15 1/2 - 16lbs..
      City: Tracy

    • By

      Water Temp: 49.5

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: LAUNCHED OUT OF ORWOOD CHRISTMAS EVE. WAS EXCITED TO SEE THE WATER WAS NOT TOO MUDDY. FISHED IN SIDE THE MARINA WITH A RIP BAIT FOR A GOOD 45 MINUTES WITH NEGITIVE RESULTS, QUICK SWITCH TO A DROP SHOT AND GOT A NICE GRAB, SET UP, FELT SOME WEIGHT AND POOF, NOTHING (BUMMER). HEADED UP TO THE CREEKS WITH THE RIP BAIT, NO BASS BUT THE STRIPER LIKED IT. ALL IN ALL NO BLACKS 2 NICE STRIPER. IS ANYONE FINDING RIP FISH OR CLEAR WATER LATLEY?
      City: DISCOVERY BAY

      Tips: WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS STRIPER ARE FUN TOO.....

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Found some smallmouth bass on gravel beds, some on points and some cruising the back of coves.
      Two of us got 8-10 each to 2.75 pounds. All widebodied fat and fiesty. All caught on 4" green pumpkin senkos in 4 to 10 feet of water.
      Also talked to another gent who was doing good on small craw colored crankbaits.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Look for gravel near clay banks where wind waves break directly onto shore.
      Just because the water's cold don't mean they won't bite!

    • By

      Water Temp: 55 to 57.9

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Got to the at 5:30 this morning it was very foggy but are gps system put us right on are spot right way and fishing was great right off. We put 6 bass in the boat in 30 minutes from 2 to 5 pounds rock plies were the the best targets today. the lake came up about 4 feet and water is very clear the sun come out around 10 am and the fish did and about face and moved very shallow.we move to rock piles around points and off the banks in the 5mph area and scored big 3 of the bass we caugth were in the 5 1/2 to 6 pound range. the bas are very solid and fight very well. We had 27 by 2:00 pm and the traffic was light again with about 15 boats on the water all day.Pumpkin green 3/8 oz football head jigs w/fiberguard tip with a 208 yamamato watermelon w/ red&black flake single tail grub work very well. Swimbaits & ripbaits are also working with some success also. IT WAS 64 TODAY BY 2:00PM
      City: kerman ca.

      Tips: ROCK PILES ROCK PILES ROCK PILES THATS THE KEY TO NICE BASS SLOWER THE BETTER WORK DEPTHS FROM 5 TO 30 FEET YOU SHOULD CATCH BASS EARLY AND ALL DAY

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 55.8

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Thought I'd get a little more mileage out of my 05 fishing license so went out this morning. Didn't get on the water till 9 but was surprised to find a few trailers in the parking lot. Planned on drop shotting a new bait I have but the first rod out of the locker had a jig on it so I thought I'd give it a try. 3 casts later I had my first fish. Never left site of the I-70 bridge and caught 15 really nice fish on the same jig that had been tied on from 2 weeks before, a Bass Patrol 3/8 ounce with 3.0 hook and brown/purple. I used Yamamoto #221 double tail grub trailer. Never found groups of fish to drop shot and never tried any other bait. It was absolutely beautiful out there and quite, I mean really quite. The best bite seemed to be on or to the left or right of a point. I did fish a lot of useless bank but didn't feel like running around. Hey to all of you that celebrate the holidays, all the best to you and yours and to those of you that don't, all the best to you and yours as well. Good fishing.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: Did fish slow, but not sure that it mattered. Just love fish when they thump a jig and all of the ones I caught really ate it. Lake is up a bunch and there is debris in the water. Not sure you have to run around to catch fish, just put the trolling motor down and go for it.

Friday, December 23rd, 2005

  • Santa Barbara County
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      Water Temp: 54-57

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Caught 10 largemouths and 2 smallies on texas rigged creature baits in 10-25 ft. A great day on the water for the end of December.
      City: Vandenberg AFB

      Tips: If your bait weighs a little too much, set the hook. Only felt one "bump" all day.