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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Friday, April 8th, 2005

  • Tuolumne County
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      Water Temp: mid 50's

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Miserable weather. Intermittent rain . Fished Mormon Creek arm on south facin g banks and secondary points. Good clarity to water. fished from 4-7 PM took 7 fish to 3.5#. Every fish came on a crank bait. All in the red to orange color range. Old craw color FatRap and orange/green Poe's Super Cedar. Nothing on spinner baits, same on swim baits. Didn't really try a worm--too breezy.
      City: Modesto

      Tips: Bite is very tentaive; be alert.

Thursday, April 7th, 2005

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      Water Temp: mid low 50

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Ive fished this lake for 6 years and this is the best spring ive seen. Caught 3, 2.3# 4.5#, 8.3# all on a drop shot under the bridge, dragin the shot to the middle of ditch and no shakin just hold. Ive seen everyone pulling out big fish. Catch and Release!!!
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Bigger Baits Bigger Fish!

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 63

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Tried to make it out yesterday the 6th but my Father had a stroke and so I spent most of yesterday at Memorial Hospital in Los Banos. He is back at home and doing well. Got to the lake today @1:30pm with overcast skies and air temp at 56 degrees. Started back in Jackson Creek throwing everything at them.Started with Black/Blue jigs with no luck.Tried spinnerbait and jerkbaits with some followers in about 10-15ft of water(looked like females by their size).Swithched to spit shot blue ghost 6" worm only to catch one Crappie in Rock Creek. Saw a lot of males in 1 foot of water fanning beds and I am sure that the females were close by. Very muddy water made it rough along with 10-20mph winds. Spoke to a couple of fishermen fishing the opposite side of Jackson Creek with Black/Blue jigs and had landed 8 fish in a very short time between 2:30-3:30pm. I had a great time out on the water but no bass to talk about. I think that I am losing my confidence in my ability to find and catch fish. I know that there are a lot of Bass in this lake but I am just not on my game. Good luck to all who fish this lake.
      City: El Dorado Hills

      Tips: Don't fish in between cold fronts unless you are willing to spend a lot of time trying to figure out a pattern.

  • Santa Barbara County
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      Water Temp: 61

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I had not planned on going this week; however, I just could not stand sitting home on a day off. Slipped the ole' boat in at first light and headed for the east end. Threw some reaction baits for about an hour with no action at all. Switched to worms and hit one fish on the south side of arrowhead. No idea how big he was as I pulled the knot and lost him. (reminder to attend remedial knot tying class). Only lasted on the lake a couple of hours before the weather rolled in, wind picked up and the rain started. Still pretty slow. I'll update next Thursday.
      City: Santa Ynez

      Tips: Cachuma Trout Derby starting this weekend. Be careful out there. Still some floating debri mid-channel by Santa Cruz

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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Is there anybody out there interested in doing a small turkey shoot on this lake one Sunday soon. All boats up to 20' welcome since its trolling motor only. Please contact me if interested will be trying to set something up soon.

Wednesday, April 6th, 2005

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: It was a really great day today.I took my 12 footer out there early morning. I only caught two but they were big. I caught the male on a rootbeer senko( 8lbs/12oz ). I dropped him off all the way on the other side of the island so that he wouldn't go back to the bed. After waiting a few minutes watching for the female to move in the nest, she came and boy she was a tank. i threw my 12" castaic trout out there and swam it right in front of her. She chased it then my trout was no where to be seen. She weighed in at 11lbs/4oz. Yup it was a good day.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: caught both of them on a island point connected to the sand bar. Hey Vince, I probably caught your fish!

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: cool

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The water is way up! Tons of trees underwater, its crazy. It looks like a whole new lake. Fished east side of the lake just north of woodchoppers. Caught 6 bass, mist a lot of fish too. All between 1 and 2 pounds. Fishing is pretty damn good. Caught them all on a Texas rigged Yamamato Cut Tail worm. Fish were really shallow. I caught them all in 1 to 5 feet of water. Didn't think they would be so shallow yet. Wanted to try the west side of the lake cuz it looked like there was a lot more new cover across from woodchoppers but didnt feel like paddling so far in my float tube.
      City: Morgan Hill

      Tips: shallow

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 59.5 @Markley C

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: launched at Markley Cove 11am dead flat calm and pushing 70 degrees. Ran up to my favorite spot at northeast corner of lake, just about submerged bush or tree have a 1-2 lb bass hiding in it . White 1/4 oz spinnerbait (twin willow chrome)took most of the fish. Hooked and landed 8 on a black buzzbait. Pattern was so predictable I knew which side of the bush they would hit on and when they would nail the spinnerbait. Landed 25 bass to 3 lbs between 11:30 and 4pm. Then the wind picked up. I bailed out.
      City: Fairfield

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 59.2

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished for a couple hours this morning. Thought
      there might be a good shallow bite. Bite was
      slower then expected. Did manage to catch my
      PR for this lake at 10.2 on plastics in bailey
      cove. Just happened to be in the right place
      at the right time.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: 2-4 more degrees water temp should do it

    • By

      Water Temp: 58-62

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I finally caught my first 10 pound + bass here on 4/6 on a trout swim bait. I caught and carefully released the brute near the island. I had caught 3 others dropshotting worms, before i caught the big one, i decided to release the fish rather then haul it all the way to the front booth to have it weighed,(a picture of it is pinned up in WALTON'S POND TACKLE STORE in San Leandro, those who have read my reports before know i am a big fan of Jon Walton of Walton's Pond, he deserves an assist for this fish, he is the one who suggested the swim bait, has given me numerous advice on techniques before, and is always helpful to customers, on where, what, when, to fish.Jon is a big bass expert, its uncanny how he knows updated information on all the lakes whether it be Contra Loma or Clear Lake. The water is still really low at Contra Loma, it looks like it has just started to fill.
      City: Hayward

      Tips: Drop shotting- robo worms, red, purple etc. Big Lures for those giants-swim baits, jigs, big worms etc. You can see pix of my big bass in WALTON'S POND near counter. AS ALWAYS PLEASE RELEASE BASS, i still see too many guys keeping bass.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: some nice bass are being caught here nice 3 pound ave. there are some to 5 pounds. brown jigs in 1/8oz w/lite silicone pumpkin skirt with a yamamoto twin tail grub work well in 3 to 12 feet of water also baby brushhogs work well in watermelon green senko's work also hook wacky style. i fish them on 10 lbs. test line you should be able to catch some nice fish any where on the lake from shore or a boat its that good now .
      City: kerman ca

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 55-56

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: 4-5-05 fished 3 hours with my son in rattlesnake,only 1 10 inch spot rippin a luckycraft. pre-storm mode.got off the lake at 6p.m. and then the rain hit hard-good timing.fished garcia bend on 4-6-05
      caught 3 stripers up to 23 inches(all released)hightlight of the day was helping a guy who was hooked up from the shore with a HUDGE sturgen(sp?)who was standing chest high in water with a 12 foot rod a massive spinning reel to boot. he called me over- had him pass me the rod, and he jumped aboard. After 45-60 minutes the fish was jammed underneath a log about 25 feet from shore in 15 feet of water. we could feel him.... but he just wouldn't move. The guy told me to hold his rod, and he was going in to unpin the beast.holy sh*%! Tied a rope around his ankle,gave him my knife,and stuck his rod in my rod holder(lund/scotty model)down he went.came up moments later, and said...i can get him;off he goes again.seconds later he comes up with a tail-smacks him in the mouth and gets a bloody lip! no problems, he didn,t break stride.he then informs me that the hook is hooked into the side of the log and he has to grab the fish by the mouth and unhook the log and fish together.down again to finish the mission.once the fish is released from the log it makes a last ditch effort for freedom on a small run and breakes my rod holder like a twig. got to the rod in time.towed the beast to shore....success!!!!! the angler reinbursed me for the holder without me asking-good form. fun days on the water. OH
      City: antelpoe

      Tips: GET ON THE WATER SOON AND HOOK UP!

    • By

      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out for a few hours this afternoon in a canoe. Partner caught 3 Largemouth on weightless senkos. First two came in the first 10 minutes. Thought it was on. Pretty slow after that. Threw frogs and buzzbaits but no takers. No fish went for the sweet beaver. Frogs will turn on as soon as it heats up. Nasty cold wind showed up around 7pm so we left.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: flip senkos in the open pockets. Weedless topwaters work as well. texas rigged beavers help punch through the mats to get to the open water below.

    • By

      Water Temp: 60

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: well the striper fishing is hot been fishing pearsons dock to grimes, worming at night been getting into big schools, caught 22 in a half hour on tuesday, and got 12 in 2 hours on wednesday, and then thurs day caught 20 fishing about 3 hours. So get out their about 7:00 at night and youll get them.
      City: sutter,california

Tuesday, April 5th, 2005

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 57-60

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished with a buddy yesterday in BIg Break and around Franks. Together we caught about 22 fish with about 5 being less than 13". Could not get anything bigger than 2.5 lbs. We had luck finding fish on rocky banks in deep water with some current but these fish tended to be smaller. Later in the day we ran into Big Break and tossed flukes for several 2-2.5lb fish. Overall a very nice day but nothing big. Seems the cold front Sunday may have put the fish off a little.

      Tips: Fish slower, we had 57 degree temps most of the day. 60 in Big Break. Bites were mush, most of the time the line would just move off. Most fish came on beavers, tubes and flukes. One fish on crank, one on buzzbait both small.

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of Orwood. After catching a 6 pounder right off the bat, I was juiced. It was near the bottom of the tide, and I was throwing a senko wacky style to the outside of a tulle clump. That was it for the next five or so hours. Sure I caught fish, but nothing to bragg about. Then the tide came back. I had about two hours to fish so I headed to my honey hole and proceded to blast through a pack of sweet beavers, catching a 5+ and a handfull of 2-3# pound fish. They were stacked and hungry! What a great day it turned out to be, no wind and fish! Best 5 went for 19+ pounds.
      City: Brentwood

      Tips: Used mainly sweet beavers unpegged with a 1/8 ounce brass and glass set up. Rocks with tulle clumps were the key. Don't give up!

    • By

      Water Temp: 57-58

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Water still on the cool side, but weather was great. 2 of us fished 6 hours and caught 5 keeper bass (all about 1-1 1/2 lbs) and a 20" striper. All bass were tight in the weeds and caught with wh/char spinnerbait.
      City: Dixon

      Tips: This comment is for Rattlesnake: We don't need derogatory/negative comments on this forum about other fisherman. If someone can get fish consistently, I want to learn from him/her. I don't post every one of my fishing trips, especially my bad days because I'm not contributing anything to the forum. I'm sure all the fishermen/women that post here don't post every trip either.

      Your comments don't mean alot to me because you're too afraid to display your e-mail address.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Saturday arounf Mildred for fun with my brother. Lots of bucks up on the bank tight to cover. No big fish for us but I think we were fishing too shallow, Caught all our fish on jigs and senkos
      City: Sacto

      Tips: Hey Lee Brothers don't listen Rattlesnake 411. I find your reports informative and helpful. Some people are just a bit jelous.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 53-55

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at sunrise around 6:45 out of the spillway with a slight breeze and lightly overcast skies.

      Fished the south fork past second bridge morning into early afternoon. Landed 20 drop shotting 4" natural shad, oxblood, and morning dawn worms. Nothing noteworthy on size. Only 2 over the slot.

      Was catching them more in groups of 2-3 than usual. Small coves produced well. Almost all the fish caught were in about 20' of water. With a few in 10-15 near the backs of the coves. I was taking it real slow and giving it a few shakes then letting it sit a second or two between reels.

      Tried some 6" worms on dartheads without any luck, and some hula grubs in various colors that I've killed them with before but had zero luck with either. Perhaps if i had slowed down the presentation on those it woulda helped.
      City: Chico

      Tips: As usual wind picked up in the afternoon. Found a good stack of fish along a bank the wind was blowing into. Also found the most fish along small to medium chunk or dirt bottom. Didn't catch a one on any of the larger or steep rock.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: If your interested in float tube tourneys go to http://www.bass-n-tubes.com/
      Next tourney is this coming Saturday April 9th at Coyote res. in Gilroy. Check the forum or send an e-mail for more info.

      MT
      City: Livermore