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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, January 15th, 2005

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 47.6 - 50.4

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished today with Guyle Stenart of San Ramon. Took off this morning under bluebird skies and calm winds. While leaving the marina I explained to Guyle we were in fer a tough day today with this high pressure system right after yesterday's storm. But since we were in the full moon window, we could expect a few quality fish, but not many. We boated a total of 7 fish today, all keepers, two were only about 13.5 inches, the other five all quality fish with the biggest going 7 pounds 1 oz. Jig bite was very slow this morning and we manage our two biggest fish early. Both came on a brown jig-n-pig in about 12 foot of water on barren rock banks. From 11a on, we bounced around several dead end sloughs and tossed Zippers catching two 3.5 pounders and the two 13 inchers. Bites were far and few between today. At one point I began explaining to Guyle that typically, under these conditions of a post frontal high pressure, it is very common for tha bite to fall off like it did and sometimes the only way to consistantly put fish in the boat is to chuck and wind a 7A Red Bomber all day. Many torunaments on the River are won like this under post front high pressure days. I reached in my rod locker, crabbed my cranking stick and proceeded ta cath a 4 pounder on my very first cast in about 9 foot of water outside a deep weedline on a rock levee bank. Ironically, never caught another fish on the crankbait, but the point was driven home. Amazing how that works! HAR! Even with the very tough conditions, our best five fish went over 22 pounds.
      City: Oakley

      Tips: The bite is very good on the river right now. If ya concentrate on areas with deep water and stick to what I consider big fish, high percentage, winter time baits, a 1/2oz Jig-n-pig, 6" Zipper and a 7A Red Bomber, there are many quality fish to be caught. Fish methondically covering lots of strike zone water(8-14'). Git yer boat off the heads of the fish and put that trolling motor on as low a speed as you can stand! Better yet, turn it off.

    • By

      Water Temp: 47-48

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: wow tough tourney our small club had sat . we had 23 fisherman and 17 got skunked.. winner had one fish a 8.5 and man was it cold.. was surprised there was no fog or wind on the water either friday or saturday .. my partner got three stripers on a rattle trap about 5 lbs and then switched to a jig and on the first cast caught a 10 lb striper. we fished victoria...woodward...disco bay and sandmound in addition to around orwood.. no blackies not even a dink. that seemed to be the norm for our club.. if we had it with us we tried it ....NADA.. water was really high and dirty. down south they must have been pumping because flow was about the strongest i've seen it in long time ..big fish was caught on a worm in italian ..
      City: SUNNYVALE

      Tips: only good thing happening is i'm leaving for a week at el salto in mexico next sunday !!!!!!

    • By

      Water Temp: 46-48 Degrees

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I was surprised at the water clarity-able to see a chartruese spinnerbait at about 2'! The lake is waaaaay up-the Ranger told me that in way day the lake came up 11'vertical feet and 10' another day! The water is completly littered with logs,trees,stumps,etc so running is next to impossible. Basically went just to get the wife out in the new boat but couldnt resist throwing a bait or two. I fished a jig/pig combo,a 1 ton spider grub and for measuring water clarity a chartreuse spinnerbait. It was a foggy,cold,ugly and fishless day but it was time on the water!
      City: Chowchilla

      Tips: Tight Lines!!!

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 43.3-44.2

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The guys and I from Basin Bass Masters had a turkey shoot. The fog was thick most of the morning, no winds and the lake is rising fast. Mike and I frist fished near Beal's Point, trying to find the dam even with a GPS. Using brown/purple jigs with a # 180 grub. Lost the first fish at the boat. We moved over to the dam and found other fisherman on our spot so we moved into the North Fork on rock points, missing fish all day. We riged up from worms to lizards, rip baits and spinners. The last cast gave us one keeper by 2:45. A few teams came in with limits and the winning weight was 12.45 lbs. Some big smallies and largemouths. Most of the bass for the other teams also came on brown/purple jigs. keep your lights on in this fog. The depth was from 10-25 ft. Some spots are moving upto feed on some of the new food coming down the bank. The water color is not bad.
      City: rocklin

      Tips: Shake the jigs and move slow and use a scent.

    • By

      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: fished Lexington with a friend Saturday around 11 am. We hit up the banks across from the freeway (I believe its the second parking lot). Water was very dirty. banks where very steep. We both where dropshottin' with no bites at all. I got stuck 3-4 times....must of been tons of rocks down there lol. We only stayed for 30-45 minutes and left. I think I'll come back with my float tube and fishin buddy. I hate to see Lexington like this. Ive been waiting for the awter to come back up. I miss the old days catching trout and bass left and right.....especially when the water was very high.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: I lost a few drop shot rigs so come prepared.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 50.8

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished out of Lime Saddle on the water at 6:45am and fished the west branch for a few hrs. Fishing was slow caught 1-2.5lb bass and 3- 1.5lb
      then fished the north fork and caught 1-2.5 and 1-2lb and 6 or 8 1.5-1.75 lb.
      Fished plastics in greens and browns, worms,grubs,and U-tails. Fish were caught in 20'-35'from mud banks or large rocks. Action was very slow and it is hard to say that the fish were in 1 type of area. Today was another tournament and there were lots of boats. Everyone was saying how slow the bite was. We totaled 18-20 fish 8-10 each and would have had 10-10.5lbs for 5 fish but we were not fishing the tourney.
      City: Gridley,CA.

      Tips: Come early, stay late, and keep your hook in the water.

    • By

      Water Temp: 47-48.5

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The first trip to Oroville this year and it was cold for the six of us from Basin BassMasters and the other Anglers on the water. Four layers of clothing still make the trip across the main body cold. But our first stop was weel worth it, 13 spots and smallies with three keepers over 15 inches. Crankin, spinners and JK jigs in brown/puple with a # 180 grub made it easy and fun trip for Tom Ericson and I. We found soom warmer water with incoming creeks nearby. Points with rocks in 10-20 ft until 11 am, that sun felt good. Ran up North, into the Middle Fork, the into the south Fork. All the fish came in around the Main Body aera.
      Good luck and stay warm.
      City: rocklin

      Tips: 3/8 oz. brown/purple jigs working it slow and pop it back to the boat.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: The lake is scheduled to open on February 17th. It did not close at all last year even though it had been rumored to be closed all last year.
      City: San Martin

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 49-51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished shallow for quite awhile today with jigs and not much happening. Moved out to the trees in about 25 feet of water and started shakin a worm(6") and caught 7 decent fish up to 4 pounds. Some bit good and some were pressure bites. Pay attention. Another dose of rain will get the shallow bite going again. Tried reaction baits(rip bait,crank, and blade)and no takers. That's Sonoma. Some days they are up and some days they are out a little deeper. Dropshot will work, but I just didn't want to fish that way. Shakin was fun, but I gotta get the jig bite going before I flip out. Har.
      City: Petaluma

      Tips: Junebug worm was working good. Should have been shakin all day with that thing. Water clarity is pretty good considering all the rain we had. Should have went to the back of the creeks with a reaction bait first thing in the morning. Good Luck. D.B.COOPER

Friday, January 14th, 2005

  • Yuba County
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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I guess i post these for my own enjoyment. Havent posted one for a while and even though there is snow on the mountain i went to bullards to just do some fishing and i am glad i did, had my son with me and we got about 15 bass or so, took 10 home and made tacos they were great. Ty got the biggest 2, both went 14 1/2 inches and were fat.Most of our fish went 13 inches, looks like they have been feeding on crawdads. Some of our fish had eggs maybe they were going to spawn early. Who know's.
      City: B-VILLE

      Tips: Tried cranking to no avail, caught all our fish on tubes fishing points. Nice to know even in the middle of winter my private bass lake still produces.

    • By

      Water Temp: 51 to 52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well the bass have moved out and down tighter to structure now most fish are in 18 to 30 feet of water and the bite is still good on jig& yamamoto single tail grug combo. Lite pumpkin green & watermelon black & red flake ( yamamoto ) single tail in 3/8oz football head still producing bass to 4 pounds. Numbers are down & traffic is lite water level is up and stable 5mph is holding bass off the humps and dropoffin 20 to 30 feet of water.
      City: kerman ca

      Tips: This time of year when it starts to get cold be sure when you hook these bass in deep water dont bring them up fast it will blow there stomachs up and some fish wont survive. ROCK PILE DROP OFFS THE FRONT OF THE DAM IN 18 TO 40 FEET OF WATER HOLDS FISH EAST BANK FROM RANGER STATION TO EAST RAMP HOLD NICE FISH.

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 50 ish

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Started out along with won bass tourn. I went leftt almost everyone went right.Later I went up river also. First spot got 13lbs and went to nowind area to eat and relax. Talked to a few tourn. fishermen and one said he had 12 lbs another three keepers another four keepers. I think old Mike Tuck socked it to them with around 17 lbs, not sure, just grapevine news. Shallow bite was the name of the game as spinnerbaits prevailed. Awesome strikes. Wind was a factor however there were places not affected. Up river the warter temp was very low and some current was noticed.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Toss chartreus up on bank and bring into water as not to scare your prey, if they are thwere your chances may be improved. Good fisin jim

    • By

      Water Temp: cooooooold

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: geuss what big h got for christmas? a new rod! go figure. anyone catchin' any real fish up here yet? been to busy workin' to check things out. and who are all these new KNUCKLEHEADS posting these little kiddie reports?
      City: Los Gatos

      Tips: ameteur's "POSTED KEEP OUT NO FISHING" or i'll sick the piranha's on yer#@%%^^&**#

    • By

      Water Temp: 53.3-53.6

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: My first time on this lake. Tried main lake points. I threw the huddleston 80% of the time but it did not produce. Other members on the boat hooked 2 lbr. in 10 ft. of water on a junebug texas rigged baby brush hog with a glass bead. Another member on the boat landed a 2 lber. on a 3/8 ounce football jighead with a brown/blue flake hula grub. ANd then followed it up with 2 lb rainbow trout on the same gula grub. I marked fish every where off the main lake points in 15-30feet of water. I'm guessing schools of rainbows. Saw someone putting a huge tree in the back end of the lake, I think I'll bring one next time i go out there. I like this lake. I wonder how many 10 pluses looked at my huddleston today.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: We hooked into a christmas tree off the mainlake point to the right of the lanch ramp. That's where all the fish were caught, and two were unbuttoned. I looked for more trees but couldn't find any. The trees and fish were in 10-15feet of water. Tried fishing in the storm but as the storm moved in the bite turned off. Throw texas rigged brush hogs and lizards. Work em deep and slow. Look for deep breaks and try to find structure near points.

Thursday, January 13th, 2005

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 53.7

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: started about noon.Second time on the pond.
      Found a bump from about 40 feet down to 60 on both sides so i tried spooning.Didnt catch anything but i had one on for an instance.Switched to a carolina with a brushhog down points from 10 feet down to 30 nothing but one bite.Stearted throwing a jig and started catching fish and these came out of 15 feet.Best fish was 3lb and i caught 3 for the day.Not a great day but it was fun and just fine for this time of year.
      City: san jose

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished minnows with my 7 yr old nephew today, yes he outfished me....We caught 11 minnow fish and 3 brush hog fish in 5 hrs. My first fish of the day was a 6 pounder split shotting a jumbo minnow. Morning bite was better split shotting, around noon the bobber started working.

      Tips: Fish were in scattered from 7 ft to 18 ft today. Never found any big schools.

    • By

      Water Temp: About 45 degree

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the far north end from 2pm until 5pm. Cloudy and calm all afternoon. Slow-rolled spinnerbaits and rat-l-traps around the tules. Didn't get a single bite. Even the birds weren't feeding. I should probably be using jumbo minnows, but I can't bring myself to kill a fish (the minnow) for the sake of catch and release.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Don't bother fishing the far north end. I suspect most of the bass are still toward the south end in deep water.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Bennit I can't believe it but I caught a Peacock Bass today it was 12 lbs then a few minutes later I saw a white shark break...it must of been a 10 footer...
      City: Los Altos

      Tips: stay out of the water there are sharks in there
      nice picture fooooooooool

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: STARTED FISHING AT 0830, WITH FIRST FISH AT NOON UP THE SOUTH FORK. WATER WAS EXTREMELY MUDDY, BUT GLASS, WITH THE SUN COMING OUT. THE FISH WAS JUST UNDER 4 LBS AND TAKEN ON A JIG. MISSED TWO OTHERS, WITH VERY LIGHT BITES. A BIG THANKS TO RALPH ON THE GOOD FISHING INFO. RAINY CONDITIONS FORCASTED FOR SATUDAY; STAYING HOME.
      City: Carmichael

      Tips: ROCKY POINTS AS USUAL; KEEP IT SLOW.

Wednesday, January 12th, 2005

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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: i drove by the lake on thur the 12th of jan and it is full to the top! spillway is overflowing however the lake is solid mud...gonna take awhile to clear up...
      City: lincoln