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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Tuesday, March 30th, 2004

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: A little slow, one boater reported 10 fish on plastics, but biggest 2.5. I managed five fish, biggest was also about 2.5, most on plastics. There was a hot bite about 4pm for about an hour, they were hitting everything, and lot's of top water activity.
      City: SJ

      Tips: slow on the bottom with plastics, South end still seems good.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 56-59

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I guided two fellows yesterday on the north end which was windless until 1 pm. We caught a dozen bass - all tournament keepers with one going 4 lbs 10 oz which was caught drop-shotting. We fished mostly docks and walls - which seemed to get better as the day warmed up. Pattern you ask? There really wasn't one - we caught bass on several kinds of baits - rippin, cranks, worms, Senkos, brush hogs, and so on. We did catch a few on tule banks. Several people we talked to were really struggling. It did not warm up yesterday as much as was predicted. We still felt pretty good about the trip.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I really don't have much that would be of any help. We did catch fish it seemed in pairs which made it seems like they were still schooled. The water temp had dropped some and I think that has temporarily slowed the bite. The previous three days of wind would not allow the lake to warm up much. Better days are ahead I think - and hope!!!

    • By

      Water Temp: Low 60's

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Read the report on the Live Pointers, had to try. Went to Clear Lake this morning, they slammed it. I think it is because it can be reeled like a swim bait or ripped, but they hit it. Threw a 128 in American Shad and a Hitch they seemed to want the tail action of the live pointer.
      City: Sants Rosa

      Tips: Use the shad colors. Reel them slow to medium speed every and every once in a while stop and ripp it.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: does any one know if you can rent boats to fish from at coyote.
      City: PA

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 61-62

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Got on the water around 3:30 p.m. and headed up the North Fork. Had a 2+ on the super-spook on the second cast. Checked a willow where I missed a toad the day before (jerked the spook away from her twice, duh) and no dice. But on my way out the cove I stopped on a buoy and got a 3+ on the first cast with the spook. After a dozen more casts and no bites I switched to a tube and it was on. I put 14 pounds in the boat in no time (wish my labs could fish, I bet they would have been bit, too). I even caught the same fish I caught on the spook (she had a torn maxilla and a puncture mark from cull buoy clip). The buoy was in 15 ft water and the fish were on it and around the edges.
      Previous day (March 29) I caught my largest Folsom spot to date on the tube. I'm guessing that she was 5 lb, but what a handsome fish to get on 4 lb P-Line.
      City: Citrus Heights

      Tips: Go fishing because you can. The fish are biting like wild dogs and if you don't get bit quick, then they aren't there. Keep moving and look for rock piles adjacent to flats and willows are a good bet right now. Make long casts and don't get on top of the fish for the water is very clear and they will just move off, but often return. Bigger baits are getting the better fish. Throw the topwater, I think you will be pleasantly suprised.

    • By

      Water Temp: 60-65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Tubed Tuesday the main back from 12 to 6.
      Pulled in 2 , 1 dink and 1 16 1/2 incher.
      Fished the cover and tules in 2 to 6 feet up water. Both came on senkos weightless. Also threw my spook and buzz in the shad with no bites.
      City: Dublin

      Tips: some guy in the parking lost stoped by and spoke of how he pulled in some 14 pounders in the main lake. He showed us his pics. Nice fish, he was throwing the bluel gill 2inch blue and white.

Monday, March 29th, 2004

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out for my 1st fishing trip as a boater.
      The day didn't start too well...the trailer came off the hitch(rookie mistake), so I was messing with the jack in middle of the street at 4:30am, praying that no one would hit me. Finally got it together, so decided to go fish anyway. Launched out of Big Break around 6am. Mostly stayed in Big Break and Dutch Slough. Fished until noon and caught 11, largest was 3lb. It was a great day-very fun! Had some strikes but no hookups with the chart/white spinnerbait. No luck w/ the jig or tubes.
      City: Newark

      Tips: I've only been doing this 2 months, so I don't claim to have the fish figured out at all. I had the most luck with watermelon-red flake Senkos, wacky-rigged.
      Most fish were in grass pockets near current.
      Strikes varied from violent to jumping/moving line...Plus there were a few where I was clueless, but lucky.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: out in the water at 730am with only a handful of other boats, fished the southside (in case you dont know and are planning on coming here, northside is still closed for remodeling and boat ramp so dont go there yet). lake is completely full and really clearing up beautifully. first fish was a dinky spottie within 10 minutes, than nothing much for the rest of the morning except 2 others with maybe a few missed strikes. Tried topwater zara pup and white spinnerbait early, a few crankbaits later on then dragged Senkos the rest of the day. about 2pm on the way in, landed 7 healthy and spunky spotties,all in 2-3lb range with the largest going 3.6lb, no largemouths caught. so actually finished the last hour or so with a good feeling. only two water skiers and no jet skiers during the afternoon, but this will soon change. forget fishing on weekends here soon and get away on a weekday instead. chances will be better and much more peaceful.
      City: yuba city

      Tips: fish 10-15 feet down during post morning hours which peaked at 2pm on this day. dont forget to release the bass ASAP as the prespawn begins. key in on the taller trees that cast shadows on the water right by it, a bass could be sitting in that shadow as i witnessed and did manage to catch one by the banked houseboat with numerous structure and blugill all around it.

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: This time of the year ususally produces a bass or two for me as the fish start their spawn. I fished 9 hours with senkos, grubs, texas rigged worms, split shotted 4 inch worms, spinnerbaits, luckycraft, and castaics with nothing. NOt even a hit. I saw one good sized bass that was not interested in me whatsover. I started at the marina and fished all the way to the back of bass cove. I'm getting very frustrated with the bass population in this lake. It seems it's getting tougher each year to catch bass.
      City: Local

      Tips: I have no clue.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 55-58

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well, Spent M,T,W,T on Clear. 52 Bass in all.. 25 Mon, 10 Tues, 10 Weds, 7 on Thurs. As you can see, the cold front came in and slowed the action down. 40 Bass were caught on the 5" Black with red Senko. Caught one on a Blade on Thurs. The rest were caught on Watermelon Kinami and a Green with pepper 3x Zero and a Watermelon with Red flake Zoom Brush Hog. Fished shallow most of the time. Big Mama's were cruising the slough's but hadnt gotten onto beds yet. Biggest one I caught was a 4.5 Female. Mon's 5 best was just over 17lbs. All I can say is "WIND,WIND,WIND!!!" Another week or 2 should do the trick if the weather gets a little warmer during the day and stays out of the 30's at night.
      City: Klamath Falls

      Tips: I think the Senko bite is pretty good there right now if you really slow it down.. Dead stick it!! They seemed to like the Darker colors better. Bigger Bass were were on bigger baits.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Hey Josh, they have them at the Outdoor Pro Shop in Rohnert Park. Call 707-588-8033 and ask for Scott. I heard they are really working well up there and look great in the water. Good Luck. D.B.COOPER
      City: Petaluma

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 61-63

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Water went from a brown color with 6 inches of visability to a nice color of green with about 3 1/2 feet of visability. Fished Yorty all day long in a float tube and ended up with 6 fish. Biggest going around 4#. Had a surface bite in the morning, had 2 blow ups. Didnt get alot of fis but was a damn nice day!
      City: Sebastopol

      Tips: Fish were in less than 5 feet of water. Had to smack them in the face for them to bite. Blades in the morning. Jigs and plastics in the afternoon. Find shadows and pockets

Sunday, March 28th, 2004

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 60

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Thought I'd try Pardee for a few hours on Sunday morning. Was decent--not great. Fished until noon and got 8 fish. 1 beautiful smallie at 4 lbs., 1 largemouth at 3 lbs, and the rest all smallmouth in the 1 1/2 lb. range. Took fish on a variety of baits. Oxblood keeper worms, flukes, smoke grubs. Fish were scattered--5-20 ft. deep. Saw a lot of cleaned areas and fishing cruising.
      City: Galt

  • Trinity County
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I agree with John Gray, fishing is still very slow at Trinity. Fished today with a client from Redding, only boated 3 fish. 1-LM @ 3.9 lbs. 1-SM@ 3.0 lbs and a 1.5 lb SM.
      Still a wonderful day on this great Lake. The fishing this year is like nothing I can remember, this lake is normally on fire for reaction baits this time of the year, but all my fish came on plastics.
      City: Redding

      Tips: A trip to Trinity can be very rewarding or it can kick your butt

Saturday, March 27th, 2004

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: 60-65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Got on the lake @ 0800 and fished intill 1800. Cought around 25 fish. one 4 lber and all the rest around 1 1/2 lbs. fished in the shallow coves using spinnerbaits in green and watermellon splitshot lizerds. fish are shallow so throw them right on the bank and deep in cover. will be on the lake on 3-29-04 all da hope to see you out there.
      City: Morgan Hill

      Tips: get there early the lakes are starting to get crowded. fished one cove with four other boats lined up to get in it.

    • By

      Water Temp: 70-75

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: went out at 8:00 took me and a friend about 21/2 hours to catch.started at the dam (nice) went to the right there was a cove with a lot of weeds pulled a 2lber out the one the same size off rocks right next to it.used texas rigged baby brush hogs and like a purple kind of texas rigged baby brush hog.real windy.
      City: morgan hill

      Tips: just wait and youll get one

  • Solano County
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Took my son out and fished all day Saturday in Central Delta...Day started slow...two 2.5lbs on topwater around 9:00 AM then nothing until after 11:30. Caught two 4+ fish on Zippers in deeper water 8-12 feet on rock/weed walls. Caught a couple smaller fish on the same bank with a Black/Blue Revenge jig...Wind picked up and I started throwing blades and rip baits in shallow banks with wind blowing into them and the bite took off...Nothing big but several 2-4 fish and these fish destroyed the bait unlike the jig/zipper fish which were pressure only takes. All in all a great day on the water with the little tyke.
      City: Discovery Bay

      Tips: Considering the pressure these fish are receiving deeper water areas near spawining shallows seem to be the ticket. Caught fish on wh/wh with gold blades and NC Shell lucky craft 100. Find areas where you can run a bank without running into another boat and you'll really enjoy your time on the water. Stay safe. TG

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 62-64

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Crystal clear water down to 12 ft at times, day was sunny and breezy. Caught one on my second cast on a witches-t. We got two more later on a senco. Lake looks really bassy. Jigs and cranks didn't work for us, just worms. Bass maybe in the 2 pound range.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: New to this lake so can't give any tips. Maybe it just wasn't our day. Bring plenty of tackle, lake is snaggy.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: ~55

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Caught a nice 3 pounder on Thurs using a shad colored senko. Went out around 7AM on Friday and got skunked. We did manage to get a few bites, but no takers. On Saturday, we caught a bunch ranging from 1lb-5lbs using a chartreuse 3/8oz spinner, shad patterened flukes, green colored spooks with sparkles, and a smoke colored senkos. Fished again on Sunday and got a bunch of hits on a chartreuse spinner, but coudn't land one in the boat.
      All fish were caught in the north end of the lake. We tried the south end, but didn't get anything.
      City: Hayward

      Tips: Not too many fish in the tules. Look for submerged islands. Fish slow.

  • Riverside County
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      Water Temp: 87

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out twice with a friend last week and did very well. Both trips we caught several fish in the 5-7 pound range including a nice 8 1/2 pound female sitting on a bed. The lake is wide open so have fun.

      Tips: Caught almost all of the fish 8-10 feet from the shore. Try keeping your boat approximately 20 ft from the shore and work a spinner(white) slowly away from the shore.