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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, October 1st, 2005

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 72 deg at 8 fee

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished off the shore of Cappell Cove from about 5pm to 8pm. Found a nice spot in a mini cove and tossed out clams on a 3/0 hook with a 1/2 oz sliding sinker. Catfish were hitting with regularity in about 15 feet of water. I tried fresh clams right out of the shell and I also tried canned whole clams. Got 1 to 2 pound cats on both.

      Tips: Since I was getting equal bites on both the natural clams and the canned clams, I prefer the canned clams because they are firmer and stay on the hook better.

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: On the lake at 6:00, ran slowly (it was still dark) up to the bridge. Threw top water Size 13 rainbow rapapla's largest fish 5lb spot came on top water. All in all, my buddy an I landed and released 20 fish from 8 inch dinks to the 5lb'er between sunrise and 10 am. All top water, a great fishing day.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: fish the rapala very very slow. Most fish missed the first strike, but hit it the second strike. Dont set the hook till you feel the weight. Tight lines

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

      Report: Fished top water first thing without a look then Drop Shot the rest of the day with a pumpkinseed hand pour. Ten fish with six in the 2lb range, the rest barely legal. Got rained on but weather was still warm and nice. Saw a few larger fish +6lbs on the surface near the reeds. All fish caught from 5-15ft of water near points and reeds.
      City: ventura county

      Tips: Fish the drop shot nice and slow.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Wow, I love this time of year! I'm the lone poster! I could say anything, har!! Actually, I wish I could "fib" a little about Wednesday's trip with a guy and his girl, but the truth is they were a lot nicer than the fishing!! After Tues, I was stoked and ready for bear - but the bass had other ideas. We worked and worked for 15 bass - nothing over 3 pounds and a little thrill for him at the end - a 15 or so pound channel cat. He caught most of the fish and she caught one too, so the trip was a success in that way. They now know lots of spots that WILL be better another day. How were the pre-fish tournament folks doing? All I know is that I have never seen so many bass boats running around so often, so fast, in all the years I have guided at Clear Lake. Three bucks a gallon hasn't slowed too many yet!! Friday was much better for the next trip. We caught several 3 to near 4 lb bass in the afternoon for a limit pushing 17 lbs. I taught them structure fishing on Clear Lake and some produced and some didn't. We could have had a nice limit but I lost a jumping 5 pounder (crankbait) and lost another big one. Oh well! I was hoping one of the clients would bag a big one but it didn't happen. Tuesday's client caught them all! I think they might be fishing a tournament so I won't say much more. We did catch bass from 2 feet to 25 feet. Welcome to fall!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Friday I had the nerve to ask Bob Higgens of Limit Out Tackle, an honest guy, if anyone else struggled on Wed. He made my day, saying that Wed was tough and Thurs even tougher for many. I'm sure some foks did well, but sometimes another late warm front will actually shut down the bass a bit. They are ready for cooling water, which they should get this weekend. We'll see!!

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: warm

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Green waters. Fish on sunny day with broken back rappala or spinners. Slow day. 25" Sac. Pike, 12" bass, small blue gill.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: I was told worms were getting bites. As well as trolling now. The fish seem to be in the fingers past the damn. Otherwise, scattered.

Friday, September 30th, 2005

  • Santa Barbara County
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      Water Temp: 69 to70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Reports are still for "slow". Launched at 7am with personal assistant in 62 deg weather w/light West wind and bluebird sky. Temp was 100 by 11:30. No takers and few follows on a buzz and a crank on steep banks. 2 dropshot fish on flat at 25 ft. Staff reports little action on anything. About 8-10 bass boats out, prefishing WON?
      City: Santa Barbara

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 68-72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the 2 day WON TOC at Oroville with two other teams from our club, Devil Mountain Bassmasters. We found fish early on day 1 and had a limit int he boat by 8:30am. Found it difficult to upgrade as we were catching pretty much the same size fish all day. We tried using larger baits to keep the dink bites to a minimum. Most fish came on brown and orange jigs, 6" robo worms and T rigged Senkos in 25 ft of water. Out bite died about 11am and picked up again later. Day 2 we figured that the fish moved deeper as the sun came up so we changed up. It didn't do us much good. 3 fish in the livewell by 10am but we managed to limit out in the next hour fishin 50-70 feet. Again, big baits to try and get a kicker but the best we could managed was 2.13lbs for teh big fish. Big fish came on crankbait and our next largest fish came on spinnerbait in the afternoon when the wind kicked up from the approaching front. The jig bite switched to hula grubs on day two with the darker colors out performing the lighter colors. I guess because of the low light conditions on day 2. We managed a total of 16.52 for the 2 days, winners had over 20 lbs for the two days and big fish of the tournament at 5.6 lbs.
      City: San Ramon

      Tips: Fish deep. Most guys were fishing 40-50 feet but fish were all cookie cutter size. The guys who caught the largest fish got their fish around flooded trees. Try slightly large baits, you won't get as many bites but the fish will usually be 13 in or larger.

    • By

      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I took two good fishermen to Oroville, showing them some techniques that should work in the fall. We fished for about 6 1/2 hours, so not a lot of time to run around. We worked the north fork, looking for bait on the meter and staying in shadows as long as we could. I was pleased to see that they were good anglers and were able to fish deep water very well! After a slow start - and trying to find a place to park! - we starting catching spots consistantly after 9 am. We drop and split-shotted most of the time from 20 to 50 feet with a lot of success. We had 2 over the slot and most of the 25 or so others were in the 14 to 14 1/2 inch size - nice clones!! Only 1 dink and a few 13 inchers. Off-shore ledges were the key. Long sloping points with a sharp break held bass too. Walls produced a few too. Fun trip and beautiful weather!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Topwater didn't work, nor did my favorite brown/orange jig - though I didn't throw it much. Many bass were spiting up pond smelt and seemed to be fatter than last time I was there. The sun is lower on the horizon now, so look on the shore and see if the rocks are casting any shadows. If they are, they will be doing the same thing underwater! Guess what areas bass will be using as ambush areas!!

Thursday, September 29th, 2005

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

      Report: No Reaction Per say At Oroville,1 Skitterpop,1 Stacey,2 cranks rest plastics.Earl Caught 23 Fish on skitterpops over bait on Shasta Today mostly runts 5 for 9lbs. go to the running water at end of pit,early in morning for big spots when water stops flowing hard go back to main body this pattern works on weekdays when electrical generation is needed most.
      City: Redding

      Tips: skitterpop working well get them at the martha stewart store. they have lots its next to ^*>,dress for less store in redding. fish running water.

Wednesday, September 28th, 2005

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Caught a solid 20lb bass oday at buckhorn! Caught it on a whole large nightcrawler. Its my personal best!!!
      City: Orland

      Tips: find big bass like moi

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Ya I meet mr slap happy on Sunay, wrote me up for my F.E. not being USCG aproved. Ilove seeing our money going to good use.What a frikin pinhead. Caught a couple off points using jrkbt.

      Tips: take as many as i can get, avoid losers wearing green.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 66.4

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I took my good friend Gordon Ong out to fish black bass in Disappointment Slough yesterday. The fish were biting very good for me. I got my limit by 8:30am and caught Gordon's limit by 2:45pm. Yes! I said Gordon's limit. Poor guy didn't catch one keeper. But he didn't get skunked. He caught plenty of dinkies. My fish were all good eating size. Biggest was 3#! I caught all nine fish on the famous senko.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: I rig my senko worm weightless in the head with a 3/0 hook. All I do is cast the senko into the cover or on the edge of the weedline and watch for your line to move. It it doesn't just lift your tip of the rod a bit and let it sink. Then if no action keep casting. Constant casting is what makes you get bites. Good fishin'
      Jerry

  • Merced
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I had only one day to fish while visiting family in Oregon. So I decided to fish the John Day around Kimberly and Service Creek.
      My wife and I caught 80+ fish most were 15" to 18"
      inches. They were little fat pumpkins too. Most of the fish we caught had been gorging on crawfish they were coming out of their bellys.
      We were tossing 2.5" git-zits in a craw pattern dark colors.
      Early morning bite was solid from 6:30 to 9:00 the bite was really aggressive. We switched over to yamamoto single tail grubs with a gamakatsu darter head as the day progressed. All in all it was a great day for being the only day I had to fish.
      Success to all.
      City: Tracy, CA

      Tips: Have Fun

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished at back pond last night and got two fish on slammer. first fish is 1 1/2 lb. second fish is 12 lb. Released it back after photos and walk home happy.

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

      Report: The proceeds stay right here in redding. Every year we take disableb kids fishing for about 6 hours in june on shasta lake. We are always looking for volunteers too. The money will be used to buy fishing gear and any thing to make this happen.
      City: redding

Tuesday, September 27th, 2005

  • Santa Clara County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Remember the guy in high school every one made fun of because he was a douche bag???

      Watch out, now he's a ranger at Calero writing you up for everything on his little power trip.

      Get your priorities straight ranger dick!
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Stay away from the napoleans in brown and green!

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished out of Brannon Island at 6:30 AM. Windy early near Fisherman's Cut and Frank's Tract, but it calmed down later. Mostly small fish (less than 1 lb.)fishing a rattle trap on the outside weed line near tules. Others were taken from tules and pylons drop shotting a 6" roboworm. Water was very clear in Frank's Tract. Off the water by 1:45 PM.
      City: Fairfield

      Tips: Get out there and have fun.

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: A great day at Clear Lake - in spite of all the pressure. After taking a week off, I helped two guys learn the lake in their boat, and learn it they did!! I wasn't sure about the weather after the rain and a north wind did come up in the morning, but it wasn't bad. About noon it started to warm up and so did the fishing! One of the clients caught a good one to start the morning at 6 lbs 1 oz and 4 1/2. They caught lots of bass in the areas I showed them. I was trying different baits in the back of the boat to see what was working. Between us we came up with two baits that produced a 9.24 for me and a 7.48 for one of the clients (after his 6 and a few 4's)! We actually caught over 50 (they caught almost all of them!) and our 5 best weighed between 32 1/4 and 32 1/2 lbs. That was exciting! I can't say any more because they are tournament folks. I wish them well!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Some days all the right decisions are made and I guess this was one of them. Parts of the lake have cleared a bit - interesting. Again, no crank fish - though we tried. The pressure hasn't slowed the bite too much yet, but we'll see. I wish all you tournament folks the best of luck (and skill)!!

Monday, September 26th, 2005

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Just got back from three days at Clear lake. Water temp. has fallen off to about 69F. A lot of fish on jigs and tubes. Fish the north end most of the time. Docks produce a lot of 2 and 3 lbs fish and larger fish came off the tules. 6/13 lbs.
      City: Cottonwood

      Tips: Bass are holding tight to the tules, fishing slow seem to work the best.

    • By

      Water Temp: 66to69

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: fished sunday and monday. sunday 30 fish, best 5 went 23lbs5ozs. monday 28 fish best 5 went 20lbs 1oz . the bite had slowed down since we were here last which was august 28th&29th. we had better quality this trip with a 6.3,5.4,5.3,5.2 . the reaction bite wasn't like the last time, but i did get the 6.3and the 5.2 cranking. a front moved in this weekend and we had winds out of the south both days it seemed to slow the bite considerably.
      City: oakland

      Tips: with all the tournaments coming ,try to find something no ones looking at.