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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Friday, November 26th, 2004

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Friday with Rob and Mike from San Jose, morning started off very cool and Foggy out of the Oaks. Tossed cranks, rattletraps and jerkbaits the first two hours with no success, Went up around Anderson and began crankin a Carolina rigged Zoom Lizard, over the next two hours we caught 20-30 fish, all fat chunks in the 2-2.5 pound range. Went to go fish some deeper stuff at Shag, but 9 crappie boats were camped there having a ball. Ran straight accros the Narrows to the deep docks to do some spoonin', fish were there with all the shad, just couldn't git em ta eat and metal offerings. Caught two 3 ponders on the Lizard, we then began chucking Jumbo Minnows on a splitshot and all hell broke loose. Next 2.5 hours we catch another 30-40 fish from 3-6 pounds, eight of them over 5 pounds. Had ta laugh at my clients who originally frowned upon using live bait, but once they saw the difference in the quality of fish, and we wuz just using a splitshot rig, they are now converted. Running out of minners we moved around towards hiway 20 and began jerking LC StayCees (aurora black) and over the next two hours caught another 20-25 fish, most of these all in that 2.5 pound range. At 3:30 as we were heading back to the ramp, I sw a bunch of greebes and gulls poundin the shad, let's go guys, time ta live bait fish again. Pulling up I could see on my graph we wuz in 30 feet of water, the shad were so thick at times, my meter would only read 2 feet. I grabbed my spoon and began snagging shad and tossing em on the deck, we then moved up to a point at the edge of a ledge were the shad balls stopped and began drop shotting, Bingo! Bass bonanza again, we catch another 15-20 fish befor we head back in,, again, these were all 3-4 pound fish.
      City: Oakley

      Tips: Fish are schooled up, both deep and shallow, find the shad, you'll find the fish. Catching the better fish with any consistancy will be a challenge, unless ya use live bait. It's Minner TIME!

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 52-54 deg

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The day after THANKSGIVING a foggy, but on a light wind morning. Out with one of my team mates from the BASSIN BASSMASTERS CLUB (Bonner). We spent part of the morning looking for bait fish in the main body, finding them on rocky points. One good spot is still left of the dam in that large cove and the points right of dyke 8. Look in 20 to 35 ft using a drop shot and split shot. A good worm to use is the PRO WORM # 266 leach, 4 inch or smaller. We missed some bites but still managed to pick up two good spots in the frist two hours. Look for the moving bait with bass chasing. If the bait looks like a ball, most of the time the bass around it are not eating or aggesive at this monent. We later fished in the sunny North Fork area, no fish. We both cranked for some time, no fish. Some fisherman were on the islands near Browns Revine and sitting on top of humps in deeper water. Check out the rocky point just left of the Dam. Watch out for the humps that are coming up 300-400 yards out, we almost hit one new dyke 8 ( 2ft of water). I used a jig brown/orange (larry's jig) no luck. Drop shots and drag n a worm is working.
      City: rocklin

      Tips: Fish slow , deep and use a stink bait

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started fishing at around 12:99 noon. We launched at Dinosaur Point, and went across to the dam. We used live bait, shiners, and fished down about 120 ft. Fished for about 5 hours and caught only 3 fish. All about 4 lbs. Slow, but the weather was awesome.
      City: Salinas

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 56-58

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished from the 25th through the 28th. No activity on topwater or shallow reaction baits at all. All success came in 40-55 ft deep. Salt Creek was the hot spot. Find the shad and find the bass. Drop sotting works but spooning brought in better quality and faster action.
      City: San Ramon

      Tips: For drop shot any and all plastic baits seemed to work equally well. Spooning with a 3/4 oz. white/Char. spoon was the hot ticket. The better bass where right on the bottom but others suspended up to 20 ft over 50 feet of water at times. Watch your meter. If baitfish are there and your are over a nice drop off or good structure fish that spoon just off the bottom with short 1-2 ft lifts. Hang on!

Thursday, November 25th, 2004

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 55

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: On the water around 7:30 and decided to try for trout before looking for some bass. Within 20 minutes I looked into a nice 18" trout while trolling through Capel Cove. I was top lining a pins minnow. Hooked into another about a half hour later but lost it at the boat. By 9:00 I headed towards the narrows looking for bass, and found the bite very tough. I tried an assortment of plastics without any luck. I'll try again next week.
      City: Rohnert Park

      Tips: If your looking for some fun, try trollig for some trout along the surface early. The bass are scattered and deep. Well at least that's what everyone has told me.

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

      Report: Haven't been out to the lake lately but will definately get there before the weekend is over.
      My best lake in Maine has been frozen over for approx. 2 weeks now. If I was still back there I would have already gone through the first 2 cords of firewood (out of 10). Back there it is still 5 weeks away from ice fishing season, and I would be suffering severe withdrawal.
      Last weekend I fished The Fall Classic on Shasta with a friend and finished a very respectable (for me) 33rd. This weekend is the Cottonwood Clubs' $100/lb Tourney, which is a hoot, but unfortunately I won't be able to enter.
      In a couple of weeks I'm headed to Oroville for a tournament. At the end of the month my Daughter and 5 year old Grandson are headed here from Maine and are both avid fishermen (they live on the coast and chase stripers all summer) and are expecting Grandpa to put them on fish. (and you thought there was pressure in a tournament).
      The point of all of this is.... Do I feel blessed this Thanksgiving Day? You bet I do! I have a wonderful wife who tried her best to kill me with a fork by serving a wonderful dinner today, I live next to a great fishery,(Trinity). I live within driving distance of Shasta, Oroville, Clear Lake, the Delta. I own a boat, I have rods and reels, I have some tackle.... What's not to be thankful for.
      City: Weaverville

      Tips: Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Wednesday, November 24th, 2004

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 56-57

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I think Larry has his day off by one - I think he was there Tuesday night the 23rd. Anyway, I found the fishing slow overall. Started around 4 pm and left around 11 pm. I landed 5 fish total, all on jigs and 4 were before dark and seemed to be tightly packed into a group as I'd get several bites in one spot after going a long way without any bites. They were mostly on secondary points about halfway into the arms except for one up Jackson. Biggest landed was close to 3 but lost one on a fat worm which could have been larger, maybe a 5. That was the only worm fish.
      City: Folsom

      Tips: It seemed the north side was better than the south side. Dress warm.

    • By

      Water Temp: 59

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Rick Tietz and I decided to tackle Amador after a rather long absence! We started yesterday about 2:30 pm and fished points and offshore structure. I wasn't too optomistic about how the fishing would be because of the upcoming third really cold night of the fall. We saw fish everywhere on the meter but the bite was slow. We caught 5 before dark, all on jigs, up to about 3 1/4 lbs. After dark we bundled up for a cold winter's night of fishing!! The bite started slow but did pick up surprisingly well after 10 pm. While the night jig bite was dead, the worm bite was alive - and we wound up with 10 night fish in the boat up to 2 1/2 pounds for a total of 15 for the trip. Because the bite was timid, we missed a lot of fish - some just being tail biters. I could feel one bass just hold on to the tail of my 10" Power Worm - and then rip it off the hook! Hope he enjoyed his meal. Just when we decided that this was not going to be a big fish night - I threw an 8" Dead Ringer worm into some submerged trees and felt a good bite. I set the hook hard with my 30# test Fireline and nearly broke my elbow! After setting on the smaller bass, this was a shock. I could not move the fish towards me and after she moved sideways for a few seconds, she was gone. She opened the hook slightly and that might have been the reason. That has never happened to me before - maybe a flaw in the hook? That would have made the trip for sure!! We had a great time, lots of action, and good quality bass, though no big one this time. I know where this big one lives now!!!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: We both were very pleased to see the lake down about 30 feet. It makes structure fishing more fun and may help to diminish the weed problem which has taken some of the fun out of fishing the lake. We found a lot of our bass in underwater wood - look around until you can find some. Spooning is usually very good about now, but wasn't yesterday. I did some cranking and rippin' with no results. The bass wanted slow stuff!

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: 61

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: fishing deep around dam cought 19in fish lost a couply
      City: sj

      Tips: fish deep with green plastics

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: This is for the fellow from Albany Oregon, I sent you the info but your address came back "undeliverable".. You can go to the links section on this site, go to bass clubs and down to "Shasta Cascade", click on that location and the info you want will come up.
      City: Redding

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2004

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The bite has slowed WAY down. Water levels dropped about 3 1/2 feet in the last week and the bass bite just stopped. Worked all day for 1 fish in 10 feet of water. Graphed a lot of fish in 30-45 foot but they seemed very innactive.
      City: Antioch

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

      Report: My buddy and I got limits of trout in less than an hour. All on power bait and kastmasters. ALmost all five pounders. This lake is the awsome

      Tips: Find where the trout are schooled up and throw kastmasters. You'll get them. Good luck
      P.S If you want bass they are few and far between right now but drop shot all docks that have no thick weeds around them.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 56.6-58.9

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: took the ride north and put in at Sugarloaf at 0740, no one there, 32 degrees at the ramp with a bit of wind out of the north, I am getting to old for this! Moved over to the rock walls adjacent and started south throwing some top water stuff(lucky craft, spook etc) and not getting bit. No shad activity at all, moved further south near Salt Creek inlet and get on some fish and get three in the boat but they are small from 1.54 to 1.63 on the MGM hoo-dun-it. Break out the same bait in a new color and try it for a bit and get a few better fish, a 1.78 and a 2.01. These fish were deep, first at 47 ft and the second a bit under 54ft. Tried some more top water along rock walls south of salt creek and nothing going. The mist is blowing out of salt creek and my swimming pool thermometer says 28. I am freezing to death so I go south to get some sun down near Little sugarloaf and pick up one more fish on the new color(a darker watermelon green with large red flake, don't know the number)it went a bit over 1.5. Continue south near Deadmans Gulch and get one more off a point in about 6ft on a darter headed #23 twintail, a dink that might have weighed a pound. Fished for 3 more hours without anymore bites and ran back to the ramp and out at 1230. Most came off of steep rock walls except for the two biggest which cam off the deep end of a long red mud point with softball sized rock on it. 68 degrees getting out and the lake is 102.4 ft down. Sugarloaf ramp in good shape after some mud was removed. 2lanes and a 1000 acres of parking.
      City: Redding

      Tips: The color # 109 is still my go to color in HDI's and twintails, the new color has promise but I only had a few and only one left after busting off a bunch in those rocks up north.

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: cool

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hard fishing today. Some fish, but of little quality. Think they might of been short biting or something. Gray told me today to work topwater but I had no luck with. Buggers!
      City: Junction City, California

      Tips: Take warm clothes. It is very cold!!

Monday, November 22nd, 2004

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 58-60

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I went out with a buddy that wanted to learn to bass fish on Berryessa, while this is not my home lake I have done well in the past. We got a late start, wetting the boat at 9:00AM, clear skies, no wind, beautiful day. Decided to try the bank before working deeper. We quickly realized that it was going to be a tough bite. No fish on blades,cranks, tailspinners, or split shot worms. The key turnout to be salt & pepper grubs on a darthead jig. Lots of little fish with a few keeper.
      City: dixon

      Tips: Fish the rip-rap. Swim the grub on the fall, letting it come to rest. Raise your tip and let it fall again. Of course, they will hit it on the drop.

  • San Francisco County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the lake for just about 2 hrs and managed to land four small bass. Bite was on plastics and worked slow.
      City: Daly City

      Tips: Fish it slow and crank it slow...........

Sunday, November 21st, 2004

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 56 degrees

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Cold and windy w/low tide bottoming out at 8 am. Finally found fish in Beaver Slough. 5 keepers and four dinks. 2 on blue & silver Shad Rap, 2 on blue & silver Speed Trap, and 4 on split shot 4" green weenie style worm. Average keeper only 1.5 lbs..
      City: Delhi

      Tips: When cold & windy stay home & watch football.

  • Yuba County
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      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished 7:30 am to 12:oo pm no bites on anything. Tried jigs with 3 different trailers to no avail.Did all the rest,dropshot,texas rig,spinnerblade,splitshot,and spoons.That north wind never helps.Had to try this lake as I was a ferry service taking kids to and from Woodleaf camp.I won't hurry back.
      City: Sacramento

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: 56-58

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Water level is steady at low pool now..Weather Sunday was miserable to say the least with cold winds gusting to 30+mph..Started off in the am with reaction baits and caught three quick smallmouth of no size..I then started looking for bait in cuts and boated a couple of spoon fish in the 40' range but again just keepers. We then parked on some deep points with plastics and caught numbers through out the day with two nice fish close to four for my guest..wind died around 330 making for a pleasant ending. Larger plastics on the drop shot worked best. Find some fish on deep bait and they will pop a spoon too. Just hard to stay with the spoon fish with the wind we had. Most fish caught in 35-40. With an occasional deeper fish in 50+.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Some BIG solitary stripers moving around. If your in the right place at the right time you can hang a slug on a topwater bait so keep one handy. Or if you have the stamina to throw a big plug ALL day you have a good chance at getting bit.

  • San Francisco County
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      Water Temp: NA

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Not a report; I am wondering how the fishing is at Lake Merced for bass? I have never fished it, usually spend my time at south bay lakes. Is it worth the effort? Do people nail some decent bass here? Pattern and lure suggestions, hot spots? Any info. would be most appreciated. Looks like the reports are very mixed: some people catch bass here, others say it is the worst lake around. If you can clear the water (no pun intended), let me know.
      Thanks
      City: Belmont