Submit
Report

Northern California Lake Fishing Report

Limit:

Saturday, May 8th, 2004

    • By

      Water Temp: some places: 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Not bad for my first time at Lexington. Float tubed with a friend to practice for a tourney coming up. Mainly dropshotted with Zoom flukes and other lures. Caught two bass 2# and 3#. i was aiming for fish bigger than 13inches because thats the minimum for the tourney. The 2lb. was 12inchs and the 3# was 13-14inches (wouldnt hold still). The 3# jumped, it was cool. 2nd and 3rd fish i ever caught in a float tube! Going back next week! And probably more often too because my dad can get KPIG radio up there.

      Tips: dropshotting, try different colors until you get that one color.

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: DESPITE FORCAST TURNED OUT TO BE A GREAT DAY GOT IN ABOUT 10:30 ISH IN THE MORNING AT BRIDGE BAY TRAVELED UP THE MCCLOUD ARM AND STARTED FISHING THE POINTS AND JUST BASICLY TROLLING THE SIDE . LANDED A SMALL BASS ON THE FIRST CAST NEXT TO A LARGE LOG USING A STRIKE KING SPINNER . IT BASICLY SET THE DAY UP FOR US FISHED UNTIL ABOUT 6:30 AND LANDED 12 FISH ALL WERE FAIRLY SMALL 1-2 POUNDS WITH ONLY ONE I BELIVE TO BE OVER THAT BUT IT WAS A FUN DAY . THE BEST LUCK WE HAD WAS USING A SPLIT-SHOTTED(ABOUT 2 FEET) NIGHT CRAWLERS IN COVES, NEXT TO TREES. ONLY CAUGHT 2 OF THE 12 WITH PLASTICS CAROLINA RIGGED.
      City: RED BLUFF

  • Sonoma County
    • By

      Water Temp: 58-64

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started late at Sonoma today (06:45) because of a tournament I had heard about. Ran up the lake to get out of the wind and fished really clear water. Found fish immediately and by 07:15 we had 10 bass in the boat. This included one that went 6.2 lbs. We only fished about a mile of shoreline before leaving at noon. We ended up catching 41 bass up to 7.5 lbs. Our biggest 5 fish weighed 28.7 lbs. What a day. There were a lot of 2, 3, and 4 pound fish. The bass were from 5' down to 20'. Mostly on north facing banks with wood, rock, or a substrate change. Didn't catch any bass on blades,cranks,or dropshot. Everything was on plastic. Lost many fish to wood...again. Best colors 194J,221,and 186. Being out of the wind was much easier for detecting light bites.
      All in all, the fishing was too easy and very predictable. Almost every stick that we fished had fish on it. Anyone fishing must have produced some hefty limits of very large bass and I can't imagine the tournament anglers catching less than 20 lbs of bass each. A post from them every now and then would be nice.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Fish heavier line in the wood. South facing banks were best. Anything that feels strange...set the hook.Try and match color to the bank color. Green didn't work on clay banks. Stay barbless.
      http://www.sonic.net/sheehy/FishingFolder/LakeSonoma/LakeSonomaPage_1.html

    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: went out at about 7:45 AM and went north off of the dock. Fished senkos off the first island in the channel and got nothing. Went to far north island and got one 3 pounder. Then went back to channel and got another one at about 2 pounds. Fished senkos all day up against cover.
      City: santa rosa

      Tips: Fish senkos up against cover and take it real slow, and they will hit it.

Friday, May 7th, 2004

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65-68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished from 630am until 230pm.The weather was light overcast where I fished most of the day.I started out the day throwing a big chug bug in bone with orange belly,second cast resulted in a 5lb14 largemouth.Continued fishing the flat and picked up 4 more to 2 1/2 lbs.Mostly smallies.Moved to eastside for nada and across to Big Island.Cast out the Big Bug and noticed my fishfinder depth was messed up so as I bent down to reset it I heard a fish hit the bug,set the hook on my best fish from here ever,8lb2oz.Beautiful fish,released,as were the others.10 fish 29.2lbs,best 5 20.40lbs
      City: Dixon

      Tips: Fish hit the chug bug when it was moving and just sitting there.I think the mylar skirt on the rear treble helped.One smallie hit the 3 times in the air before taking it.HAVE FUN

    • By

      Water Temp: 67-69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the narrows from 6:30 - 4:00. Caught 40+ fish using senkos, cranks, and drop-shotting. A number of the fish caught had crawdad's still in their throats. The fish were very active. Caught fish all over down to 20 feet. My best day on this lake yet. Biggest fish was a 3lb smallie.
      City: Woodland

      Tips: It didn't seem to matter on worm color this day. But the bite was very subtle.

    • By

      Water Temp: 64 early 71 lat

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started in the narrows early caught a nice spot on my first cast on a roboworm 6" sculpin fished around big island and putah throughout the day my friend tryed various top water through out the day with limited success they would boil on it but would not take it. We caught four fish during the day on spinnerbaits. Our best success was on drop shot 6" roboworms in the back of coves and on points. We caught 28 total fish our best fish would have went two pounds very few dinks. Quality largemouth smallmouth & spots.

      Tips: It was a very light bite a lot of the time they would just pick up the worm and swim away with it. Saw a lot of fish in the 24' range but got most of our fish right off the shore. Overcast day light wind but for the most part quality fish and a good day on the water.

  • Santa Clara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the coves by the dam from 3:00 to 6:30, no luck. Threw chart. spinnerbaits, senkos, lizards, ripbaits. Had one follower on the spinnerbait.
      City: Sunnyvale

      Tips: No tips that could help

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70-ish

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Just got through fishing the delta for 6 days...4 inpreparation for the Everstart and 2 days of the event. I did best around Middle River and Mildred at higher levels of tide. Caught a lot of spinnerbait fish using a DUH shad colored spinnerbait with one gold and one silver willow leaf blade. Averaged one good kicker fish from (5 to 6 pounds) every other day and the rest were 2 pounders. Caught lots of Senko fish flipping a 9L Senko in tules at low tide (either green pumpkin or watermelon with red/black flake - didn't seem to matter which color). Also caught a few frog fish...all small and about 6 buzzbait fish on the top of the outgoing tide. My partner yesterday didn't have a black buzzbait so I gave him one of mine. We were fishing them over the top of weed beds while there was still about 6" of water on top. He making his first retrieve and after moving about 8 feet, WHAM...this donkey of a fish slammed him. We both saw the fish but unfortuantely it wouldn't hit again.

      On the two tournament days, I caught a lot of fish but they were cookie cutter 2 pounders weighing 11# 4oz on day one and 11# 7oz on day two. Ended up a pound out of the money. Sure needed one of those kicker fish on either day!!!!

      I don't have first hand information on this, but several guys I trust told me they were getting good dropshot fish out in the middle of Frank's Tract.
      City: Fair Oaks

      Tips: The top water reactionbite is starting to heat up as water temperatures rise. Its probably time to start using poppers and spooks at high tide followed by buzzbaits at the middle of the tide and frogs at low tide. Fish are definately looking "up"....saw a bunch of very young ducklings in the area where we got most of our buzzbait fish.

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I fished Clear lake May 7 - 9. We fished all over the entire lake. There were carp everywhere, but they were MUCH MORE ACTIVE in Cache Creek than anywhere else.
      City: Los Altos

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: What is a good lure to use in the A.M. here?
      City: san jose

  • Mariposa County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: fished the afternoon/evening mostly around Barrett's and Piney. 17 fish in the boat with 3 broke that broke me off. Fished steep walls mostly.

      Tips: Senkos, spinnerbaits, topwater.

  • San Francisco County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: can some one tell me how to fish for bass in merced? I know there is bass in there, but have never tried. It's impossible to get a boat in there with the luanch, and I assume you can't rent anything there no more. What do you guys throw out there?
      City: sf

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: went out the past 2 days with my best friend skip. Caught 200+ bass! Got bored with all the small ones but did get a few in the 3 lb range, largest one went 9lbs. Finally used every last worm we had in the boat and called it, didn't matter, we were getting bored. Tried odd ball lures for fun we even used 8" snakes and they bit that too. Alot of fish but alot of slot fish.
      City: Galt

Thursday, May 6th, 2004

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: low-mid 60's

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Got a later start then I would have liked but bank fished Folsom from Rattlesnake Bar launch ramp north about 3/4 mile. After no luck on a white double willow blad spinnerbait my partner and I decided to change patterns (he was also tossing a spinnerbait), or fish Avery Pond. A short walk back to the launch ramp and we headed for Avery. First time fishing both the North side of Folsom and Avery. Caught nearly a dozen bass between my partner and I fishing 5" dark green blake flake Senkos. All the fish were about a pound. Put a little grub on an ultralight rod and caught two bluegill both goin a pound or so. Left by noon. Was a great trip, if you don't mind a short hike Avery is a great little pond. If you fish her please practice C&R as a fishery like that can be easily depleted. Good luck and tight lines.

      Tips: Finally realized all the hype about the senkos. Great action, casts like a bullet and catches fish. Once it gets ripped to shreds trying fishing it wacky. Seemed like the fish liked seeing a different presentation.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: http://www.mnn.net/drain.htm......check it...its about the draining

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I thought that powerboats and pwc's were not allowed on Lexington. Am I right or did the rules change or something. Thanks
      Greg
      City: SJ

Wednesday, May 5th, 2004

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 66-69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: If my trip last Friday started out with a bang, this one yesterday started out with a whimper! I told my client to get to Markley Cove early and we were ready with cranks, ripbaits, and topwater. So, where were the bass and shad that were there on Friday? Gone, of course. What a difference a weekend makes! My client did hook a nice smallie on topwater, but missed it. We started split-shotting junebug and green craw worms and the bite slowly turned on. The first 3 were largemouth up to almost 2 pounds. We fished the narrows for awhile, most of the time on the east shoreline of the main body, and some around Big Island. We were targeting flats with small rock and a ledge nearby The ledge produced better fish if it had a shadow. We also found good quality fish already off-shore in about 25 feet of water. Our score card was something like: 10 LM, 14 SM, and 6 SB for a total of 30 bass. Our best five were better than I had expected at 10 lbs 2 oz. I tested the drop-shot bite and it was still good. I caught an 18 inch spawned-out smallie that weighed only 2-5 on a #031 Yamamoto Kut-Tail worm, drop-shotted in about 25 feet of water. I did catch a 4 inch bass which I told my client I caught on purpose so he wouldn't feel bad about his 5 inch bass, har! No, they wern't part of the 30!! After my client left, I took a nap and them sampled the evening bite and found it to be fine. I caught 12 - 3 on crankbaits, the rest on worms. I wanted to make a "full day" of it, so I tried night fishing, but it got too windy with the incoming cold front and the bite was slow. I did get a sample of what is to come at night when a 2 lb smallie crushed a 7 inch Power Worm. Was that fun after a day of finesse bites. Bring on night fishing - I'm ready!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: In addition to lots of thrills for my client, this trip provided a new experience for me. I saw two big fish on a boulder in about 15 feet of water, assumed they were spawning and dropped a white jig to them. One of them bolted for the jig at full speed and inhaled it. I just sight-fished my first catfish - about 6 pounds!!!! I tried jigs since some smallies were spitting up craws. No luck. The bass were in great shape and full of fight - a great day!! We saw smallies crusing everywhere - that was neat!

  • Santa Clara County
    • By

      Water Temp: ~65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Arrived around 6:30, fished from shore by the right side of the parking area for 45 min..nothing. Moved over to the left side and fished margarita senkos in the weeds near shore. Had one hit right away but missed it, then 10 min pulled in a nice 5 pounder which hit my senko as soon as it hit the water. Guy wading in the weeds near the picnic tables caught several nice ones including a 9 pounder on senkos. Guy next to me caught what looked like a 2 pounder on a spinnerbait and then proceeded to stick it in a plastic bag and let the thing die slow..jeez if you are gonna not practice catch and release at least do it mercifully! Must be the mercury at work on the brain...lol
      City: San Jose

      Tips: any shade of green senko seems to work. White spinnerbaits

  • San Francisco County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: do you still need a permit to fish this lake? where do you get one? isn't the store at the lake closed?
      City: san francisco