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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Sunday, December 18th, 2005

Saturday, December 17th, 2005

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: Cold

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Caught 5 bass in about an hour and a half. They were all between 1-2 pounds in size. Fished the south end dragging watermelon candy baby brush hogs slowly. The bites were just little taps, so you had to pay attention. Pretty good day for winter bassin.
      City: Morgan Hill

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 47.2

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished with Tim Chapman on Sat 12/17 to show him around the delta and how to put together a pattern when the conditions are really tough. We launched from Orwood with 47.2 degree water temp and gin clear water around Orwood marina. We easily put together a pattern fishing a rip bait and then duplicated the pattern across 3-4 other locations. In all we had 20+ largemouth and 5 small stripers fishing ripbaits on the outside weed edge in slack water in areas where the water was gin clear. Most of the bites came between 10-15 sec pauses in typical shad colors. We stopped into Disco Bay on the Kellog Creek side for about 30 min and left as the water was too stained for ripbait fish so we moved on. Best 5 went clost to 15lbs. No bites on the spinnerbait or jigs today although a few fish are starting to focus on craws with the sore red lips. If there's fog in the AM forecast sleep in and hit the water after 9:00am.
      City: Pleasanton, Ca

      Tips: Fish slow, find slack water areas, focus on the outside weed edge, have confidence in what you are throwing and dress warm.

    • By

      Water Temp: 49 to 51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: It was a great day on the lake today my partner and i had 15 bass on pumpkin green 3/8 oz football head jigs w/(yamamoto)watermelon red & black flake single tail grubs as are trailer of choice we had a solid 15 bass anchored by and 8 pound 24inch female. the rest of the bass were between 2 1/2 to 4 pounds rock piles in 15 to 18 feet of water were are target spots. lake is in good shape and the pattern should hold up through the hoilday. fish slow long cast keep in contact with bottom at all times.traffic is very lite only seven boat on water today we fished and area of about 100 yards and fish from 9:30 am till 4:00pm today. if you want to catch solid fish this is the lake to be at east wall swimming area the face of the dam and humps with isolated rock piles in 15 to 25 feet of water. it was overcast today and fish were shallower than last week.
      City: kerman ca.

      Tips: fish slow and swim the jigs with bottom contact a must

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: low 50's

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started with rip baits / swimbaits, no takers. Checked for bait, bunched up and deeper on the average. Spooned tight bait shools no takers. Moved to deeper drops drifted with one-ton, notakers. Moved to thiry five to 75 feet structures with drop shot, got a quick limit of average size. (12lbs) 6# flourocarbon, 3" shad Robo leech (scented). Very light nudging of rod tip.All but one came from around 75 Ft. Tight school in creek channel past Redrock, up the South fork. Good luck, release your catch.
      City: Sacto

      Tips: Go for the gusto early and again mid-day with swim baits then follow the bait this time of the year. Don't be shy of the greater dephts.

    • By

      Water Temp: 57

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Last trip of the year for my son and me today. While the fishing has been slow, we both managed to catch fish on our last outing of 2005. John got two on a Carolina-rigged lizard, a nice 3 lb'er and a 2 lb'er. I managed a single 2 lb'er on a large tube lure while trying for the big'uns. Not many boats on the lake. It was cold and overcast but not much wind so it was a very pleasant half-day of fishing. Still lots of fish showing on the graph out in the main body of the lake, suspended from 40 to 60 feet. Still not able to get them to hit anything that usually works for deep, suspended fish. Shallow zone still appeared to be virtually baren of fish.
      We're looking forward to getting out after the first of the year. San Justo is still a gem of a lake and although this winter it seems the fish have had lock-jaw much of the time, our sense is that they are still there and waiting to get figured out.
      City: Monterey

      Tips: Keep a lure in the water, move it very slowly, and hang on! Merry Christmas!

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: low 50s

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: fished shasta with 3 friends in 2 boats. We split up first thing and I went up the pit arm and they other boat went up the squaw. We met back up at packers at 3.
      PIT ARM 15-20 fish day, dart head and dropshot rainbowtrout pattern worms from 5-40ft. SQUAW ARM 60-75 fish day, dart head and fluke from 10-30ft.
      City: central point

      Tips: squaw arm fished better then the pit. robo natural shad worms seemed to be working best.

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Saturday from 10 am to 2. Saw no surface activity for bass or steelhead. Tried several techniques to 50 feet in Yorty and Cherry Creek. Got one on in the trees drop shotting a red worm, but it broke off in the branches. No other hits.
      City: Novato

      Tips: No tips. Did anyone do well?

Friday, December 16th, 2005

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: not sure

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: fish are still on a reaction bite real early. after that, fish it slow with your favorite bait. my favorite is a hula grub bounced right on the bottom.
      City: san jose

      Tips: anderson fish are pretty aggressive and ready to be caught. tips???, fish 35-45 feet in the morning.after that, I don't know. help me out.

  • Santa Barbara County
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      Water Temp: 57

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Smallmouth biting in 10 - 35ft on jigs. All the smallmouth were between 2 - 2.8 lbs. A couple of largemouth mixed in but small.
      City: Oxnard

      Tips: Fish steep rock with a 1/2 ounce Yamamoto spider jig (two piece) 5" twin tail. Watermelon red flake. Fish slow. Fish were not agressive

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 48

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: FINALLY! I got to go fishing today. It's been amost 3 weeks but it was worth the wait. 5.52 lb. smallies are fun wether you catch them by the head or by the tail. That fish anchored a five fish limit that just reached 20 lbs. All smallies. Caught 10 fish in 4.5 hrs and not a largemouth to be seen. Weird. 3 weeks ago smallies were hard to come by on the same spot.
      I guess it's time I let the cat out of the bag. As you can see by the last couple of reports, and this one, that we've been having some incredible days winter fishing Trinity. All I can say is Duh Team Spoons rock! The fish are holding on deep rock piles ambushing Kokanee, and I guess they can't tell the difference between flesh and lead. The Duh team spoons match the size of the stunted Kokes we have here to perfection. Smear on a little Pautzkes' Bass Factor and you have a deadly combo. Now that the ramp is finally clear of snow I guess I'll just have to go again tomorrow. Stay tuned.
      City: Weaverville

      Tips: The fish we've been catching have been schooled up in tight bunches. When you get bit or chart a bunch of fish throw a marker. You don't have to miss the spot by much to come up dry.

Thursday, December 15th, 2005

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

      Report: TROUT AND SALMON ARE THE ONLY REPORTS. TROUT 5 TO 20 FT TROLLING EX-CEL SHAD GREEN BACK AND GRAY BACK PATTERNS. SALMON AT THE DAM TROLLING FROZEN SHAD TO 40 FT DEEP. BASS ??? WHO KNOWS ?? ONE HERE AND ONE THERE ON YOUR BEST CONFIDENCE BAIT ?

      Tips: ITS COLD AND FOGGY , DRIVE CAREFUL AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. IF YOU THINK YOUR FISHING TO SLOW, THEN FISH SLOWER !!

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

      Report: Reguarding my prior post & my comment about "WHO NEED'S SWIM-BAIT'S" Well for some reason not all of my post was printed. After "WHO NEED'S SWIM-BAIT'S" It should have read "J/K " My oppion is, If you want to catch a DD Bass then Swim-Bait's are the bait's to go with, I just got VERY ,VERY LUCKY. Also the Bommer-A I was using ,was given to me by my old friend K.B. AKA Kent Brown, THANK'S BUD & NO YOU CANT HAVE IT BACK.Time for a new computer. ~MJB
      City: n/a

    • By

      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: FISHED NORTH FORK FOR THREE SMALL FISH ON ROBO WORM; DROP SHOT. CLEAR DAY, WITH FOG CLEARING AT NOON. BITE WAS EXTREMELY LIGHT IN 55 FEET OF WATER.
      City: CARMICHAEL

      Tips: SLOW IT DOWN

  • Mariposa County
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: FISH DEEP TO 40 FT. YOU MAY HAVE TO FIZ YOUR BASS FROM AIR BLOAT ? KEEPER WORMS, YAMAMOTO KREATURE BAIT RIP BAIT AND SPINNER BAITS ALSO ARE WORKING WELL. SPOTS IN THE 2 TO 3LB RANGE ARE BEING CAUGHT ALL OVER THE LAKE.........SILVER SALMON (COHO'S) WE HERE TO 4 LBS ARE ALSO BEING CAUGHT TROLLING EX-CEL IN BLACK AND GREEN SHAD PATTERNS !

      Tips: DRESS WARM, ITS COLD AND FOGGY !! DRIVE WITH CARE ! HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM JIGS

Wednesday, December 14th, 2005

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 44

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Previous report should have been December, not November.
      City: Folsom

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 48-50

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the hook tourney sunday. Fished dead end sloughs, deep weed lines, rip rap, around holland tract, orwood, and disco bay. Flipped and pitched jigs, robo worms, mini sweet beavers. Tryed rip baits. Drop shotted for a while. Cranked speed traps and r-traps too. Not more than 4 bites all day and boated 3 small fish. Water was very clear and cold. BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER - can you give a hint to the vicinity where you are getting the rip bites?
      City: Brentwood

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: 47/48.5

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: one more thing
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Oh yeah! If your using reation type baits, KEEP MOVING AND LOOK FOR THE SCHOOLS!

    • By

      Water Temp: 47-48.5

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the Forebay today, heavy fog in the morning, lifted a little on the south end but not much. It was real cold out there but no wind all day. Lanched at 7.30am. Started at the spill way, one blow up on my buddies super spook in bone color near the buoys, I hooked a 15" on a american shad color lucky craft rip bait about 15 yards off the rock wall next to the buoys. Then hooked a largemouth a few casts after on same rip bait. Next peice of action was on the flats. Two more 15" fish on the rip bait, and my buddy hooked a 18" on a blue back, babyblue body swimbait in 5" size with a 1/2 oz. head and a small largemoth right after. Then hooked a couple of shakers on a rat-l-trap in the same area. A few more blow ups on the spook and then the day was done. Off the water at 2:00pm.
      City: SanJose

      Tips: Best action came off the flats in about 8-12 feet of water. Positioned my boat on weed lines and butterfly casted along the weed lines and into open water. Didn't get to stay for evening bite but the evening bite has always been the best for me on the flats. Ripbaits(color according to water clarity), 3" to 6" rubber swimbaits with at least a 1/2oz. in shad colors. Larger baits for larger fish. The stripers like the baits presented fast, fast rips on the rip bait. Cast swimbaits and let sink to botttom and then burn it back home. Most action on super spook came when the spook disturbed the water a lot and made a ruckus on the surface. Burned the rat-l-traps too. Hope this info helped a bit. Any tips for me, I'd appreciate it.

Tuesday, December 13th, 2005

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: One of my regular clients decided it was time for some winter punishment, so off to Clear Lake we went on Monday evening. We were hoping for the cloud cover to hold for awhile, but no luck. Clear sky, cold damp night, and a moon that was too bright. Sunday night would have been better. I think many of the large bass fed Sun night as conditions were perfect then - a warmer cloudy night. Anyway, to our surprise, the bite was good from about 7 to 11 pm. We caught 16 bass on jigs, 10" Power Worms, and brush hogs. The biggest was only 5 1/2 lbs and the best five a little over 18 lbs. The bite died after midnight as the temp really dropped. So did our attitude as we each lost a big bass at the last rockpile we fished. Bummer!! When we left Clearlake Oaks at 2 am, the temp was 29 degrees. I was happy to see that my new Ranger 520 and Evinrude E-Tec could handle the cold night just fine! We did too in snowsuits and hand-foot warmers!! Funny thing - we didn't see another boat!!!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I was really surprised how active the 3 to 5 lb bass were considering the terrible post-front and moon conditions. For example, the jetty north of Konocti Resort (lower lake) had bass all around it - including the 5 1/2. Early in the evening too. 50 degree water means feeding bass - day or night. The problem with winter night fishing at Clear Lake is to fish slow enough without snagging every rock you hit. If your bait gets stuck on a rock - release the pressure and see if it will back off - then pop it a bit. Often the bait will jump right over the rock. Or -- you are snagged big time! Well, the bass will have a rest from my hookset at least, as I will be gone from the lake for 2 months. I hope everyone saves some dumb ones for me. Good luck!!