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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Friday, May 14th, 2004

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 64 early 74 lat

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I went out with my friend Terry on his boat today, we launched at seven o'clock at the public ramp things started slowly, we fished a couple of points on the main lake with no success, we fished off the big island and picked up a largemouth and a smallmouth in the two pound range. We moved on to Putah creek and started picking up fish, while fishing a narrow point bordered by twenty four feet on either side using a dropshot rig with six pound test and a six inch robo worm I felt a slight peck on my line I set my hook the fish swam towards the boat my friend asked if the fish was of any size and I said no I think it is a small one, all of a sudden the fish took off stripping line from my reel about twenty five yards from the boat it came out of the water it was huge, my friend started steering the boat away from trees and other obstacles after what seemed like hours with the help of my friend we boated the fish it weighed ten pounds four ounces and was twenty six inches long. Had it not been for my friends help with the boat and coaching I would never have been able to land this fish. We weighed and measured it and then released it. We went on to catch thirty one fish total in the two to three pound range all of our fish were caught on the sunny bank where there were large submerged rocks in the water. We caught five fish on crankbaits two fish on spinnerbaits the remainder were caught dropshotting six inch roboworms.
      City: Sonoma

      Tips: Top water is not working right now, dropshotting has worked extremly well for us the last few trips including Berryessa, Sonoma, and even on hennesy. Keep a loose drag you never know when that big one will strike!! FISH ON!!

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Caught my first berryessa bass, smallmouth, 15 inches off the beach in back of my trailer at Putah Creek.
      City: vacaville

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Lauched out of Wimpy's at 5:30A with my 2 cousins. Fished Hog, Beaver, and Sycamore sloughs. Had 3 limits by 10:30A (largest - 5 lbs) but didn't get off the water until 2:00P. We probably caught around 50 bass. Caught 2 stripers (4.5 lbs each) too - spinnerbait and buzzbait. Boy, was it fun to watch a striper hit the buzz bait about 5 ft from the boat. The other striper was caught over a weedbed next to tullies.

      Also, took an "uplanned" swim in the delta. BE SAFE - always wear your PFD because you don't know when an accident can happen.
      City: Dixon

      Tips: Fish those weedlines - in, out, and over. Wh/Char spinnerbaits and shad Rat L Traps.

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 69 to 71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: we had fish all day in main body 8 to15 ft
      City: ranchocordova

      Tips: slow dowen use robo worms and top water in the morning

    • By

      Water Temp: 70 degrees

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The water cleared up since I last fished. I use weightless worms and waited the first 2 hours, no bites... then I switch to cranks, still no bites, used my Rat-L and had some followers around the docks but no bites. Finally, I switch to spinnerbaits... and bang got a 2 pounders on my first cast, released him and cast again then bang a 3 pounder released him too. That's about the only bites I had the whole day. I didn't see any cruisers at all, maybe they'd went DEEP and apparently the spawn is over. One guy in his bass boat caught a 10+pounder LM bass at 7pm, he was hollering like crazy when he caught it with his wife or gal pal, he was dropshotting with plastic and the lunker nail it 25+ feet DEEP. The trout bite is still spotty around the boat launch... caught a good dinner size fish for two.. a 3lb trout. The action is always great for trout at San Pablo.
      City: Concord

      Tips: Walk around the tullies and scout the brushes/ weeds to see if there are lunkers protecting their swimming frys. If they'd aren't there then the lunkers are DEEP. Use spinnerbait around the docks and tullies, good action in the 1-2 pounds range. The lunkers will swim in at dusk looking for their dinner... try BLUEGILL color rapalas / spinnerbait and weightless plastics or crawlers.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 66.9

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Got my biggest today at 2:17PM, took ten minutes to get this one landed. 7 lbs and 5 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long. Good Lord what a beauty!!!!

      Say hello to Gerald(jerry)Justin Scott Crusto of Elk Grove,Ca presently residing at Kaiser Hospital with his Mom(my daughter) and Dad who hit the ground running yesterday and made me a proud Grandpa again. We had dinner together and my heart was gone when I held him close and he snuggled into my neck. What makes them babies smell so good!!! Thanks to my son in law for naming him after me.
      signed:
      Gerald (jerry)Scott Waltman
      City: Redding

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: HEY GUYS I JUST HAD A QUESTION DO WE NEED A LAKE SHASTA LICENSE IN ADDITION TO REGULAR LICENSE TO FISH THE FUTURE PRO THIS WEEKEND?CAM ANYONE HELP ON THIS?
      City: WALNUT CREEK

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hey Jerry I have the balls to put my email addy (look at the first entry) also have the balls to say I was wrong.So I hope this will be the end of this and we can get back to fishing. Good Luck to all Tomarrow in the Future Pro!!!!!!

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: To anyone considering hiring a guide on Shasta, I would definitly reccomend Johhny Mac, I haev fished with him before and he has helped me out a bunch..Nice guy, and he would never not show up! He is always at the launch way before he needs to be, stand up guy!
      City: redding

      Tips: If you have a grievance, don't come to the reports section, call them in person.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Johnny Mac looks like I owe you an apoligy,my partner told me you said 5:30am,but we were there at 4:30am and were asleep in the car to the right of the guard shack and woke up at 5;30 didn't see you until you launched with someone else at that time didn't know it was you, again sorry for the mix up I will chew my partner out, but I only new the time he told me.maybe someday we will fish together no hard feelings I hope.

    • By

      Water Temp: warm

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I fished Spring Lake Friday. I got on the water at around 11:00 am and fished until around 3:00 pm. Two small strikes on topwater was all I was able to get for four hours. WEAK! I threw shallow cranks, chartreuse, white and red spinnerbaits, flukes, senkos, lizards and the beforementioned topwater baits. The wind kicked up at around 2:00 which I thought would correspond to a decent spinnerbait bite or some topwater action given the slight chop on the water. Nothing. Regardless, it was better than being at work! There was only one other guy on the water and he caught a nice one on a soft plastic (I think).
      City: Petaluma

      Tips: Given my lack of production, who the hell knows?!?

Thursday, May 13th, 2004

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 64-68

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Got a late start on this thursday out of redbud. Looked in several marinas in the south end and found no bed fish. Caught a 2lb out of a tree in the mouth of a little slough and found one small fish kinda guarding an area, but he wouldnt stay on the bed. Looked near Jago, Konocti bay for sight fish, but only found millions of bluegill, hitch, shad and small bass. I finally gave up and enjoyed 15 or so fish on senkos in sparce tulies, under docks. Flipped some fish in thick wood in pm. Tried a double wide sweet beaver for this application. I dont really like the feel of the lure as it is hard and fragile like a senko. It did produce though and I had one swim off with it and I broke 20# test setting on it......rats.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I really wanted to try to catch fish on nests, but felt more familiar with the south end. Later reports tell me that this day was the day to sight fish as there was no wind and it was sunny. Maybe next year I'll head to the north end where it is shallower.

    • By

      Water Temp: 67

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished mid-a.m and early p.m. Tried everything and finally caught two bass by the dam on crankbaits. Not much action. Most of the bassers seemed to be getting just a few fish.
      City: Concord

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Where (besides the water) are the bass in this place??? Nothing biting, especially in the morning.
      City: san jose

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      Water Temp: 70-71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I had been told that topwaters early and drop-shot later had been effective recently. Arrived to discover that the water level had been dropped by 2 - 3 feet in past 48 hours. Fresh green algae on rocks above new level. Weedbeds either out of water or very shallow. We managed to put 7 or 8 in the boat to two lbs, mostly smallies and all on worms - splitshottin' and texas, from 5 to 25'. Did not fish low-light, but no takers on traps or ripbaits.
      City: Sonora

      Tips: Try Keeper 1059R's or Yum 5" in brown. Slow way down until water levels and temp.s stabilize,

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 60.-65.8

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: INTERESTING POSTS FROM SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE BALLS TO PUT IN HIS E-MAIL ADDRESS TO BEGIN WITH. THE ONE THING YOU CAN COUNT ON WITH JOHN MCNEMAR(JOHNNY MAC) IS HE IS DEFINITLEY GOING TO BE ON TIME, HE IS USUALLY VERY EARLY AND COMPLETELY RELIABLE. OF COURSE, I HAVE ONLY FISHED WITH HIM ABOUT 30 TIMES SO YOU MAY HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT!!!!! HE IS RESPONSIBLE AND A GOOD MAN WHO HAS AN EXCELLENT KNOWLEDGE OF SHASTA LAKE AND I AM GONNA KICK HIS BUTT NEXT WEEK. SIDEPOT JOHNNY MAC? The lake is about 19 ft down, most debris is gone and temps are rising, there is still spawning activity in the upper arms when you find some cooler water, smallmouth very active as they are on right now. Catching fish isn't a problem at all but you have to go through 15-20 dinks to get that occaisonal 3 lber. have been averaging 15 plus for a 4 hour outing daily, ripping, cranks and blades early and then jigs and worms as the sun gets up.
      City: Redding

      Tips: hire johnny mac if your looking for a guide on shasta, you will definitely get your moneys worth.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I accept your apology,I did not go salmon fishing nor do I own an aluminum boat and I am a Bass fisherman.
      City: Redding

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 64-65

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Made my trek up to Sonoma thursday afternoon, very windy. I went for the late bite starting at 2:30pm and fished until 10:00pm. I decided to run to Brush Creek and caught 3 fish in the first half hour on a spinnerbait around wood and lost one about 3 lbs. I stuck with the blade for a while searching for bass since I was fishing a club tourney Saturday. Then went up Dry Creek and saw some cruisers, had a few bites, but no keepers. Then went into Cherry Creek for a few small fish and had some top water action after the sun set. Couldn't find the big ones, but ended with a small limit.
      Water temp was 64-65 in most areas, but I did find some water near 68 in Cherry.
      City: Rohnert Park

      Tips: Weightless Senkos when its calm or on a jig head in the wind. Brush hogs will also produce.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Want to klnow how to fish Spring Lake in Santa Rosa. I've only fished it a few times and only caught small fish. Recently purchased a small 12'Pelican bass boat and I am looking for a person to fish Spring lake with. It needs a trolling motor and a an outboard. I am a young bass fishermen and looking for other experienced fishermen.
      Please E-mail me if interested
      City: Petaluma

Wednesday, May 12th, 2004

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out of the south end at about 8:30 in my float tube. Caught one dropshotting(2#) and 2 other little guys on spinnerbaits in shallow water.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Get there early or late, when all else fails, use a dropshot.