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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, February 14th, 2004

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 50.1

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Lazy M 1pm launch thinkin the days sun would heat up the water and the bite. A guy named Je and his riend gave me the news as they pulled in rom all day ishin. They said "nothin" why I asked my ususal question o "how didya do?" And so I tried to muster a LM Bass with the same success. Hey, in 2 more weeks or so more people will be catchin em. And a month down the road everyone will be catchin em again.I read it every year bout the water temp spawn patterns...
      City: San Leandro

      Tips: Every year bout this time I start readin and re readin what there is to read about the ish we're all tryin to catch. Lots o stu out there.It's also a great time to develope interest in new spots. You KNOW they'll be there soon.

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      Water Temp: 50 - 51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: We got skunked Saturday on Dutch Slough. Tried tullies on lats, tried tullies next to deep water, tried deep water, rock walls, old wood by current, old wood out o current, you name it we tried it. We were tossing jigs (black & blue, brown & green), shallow & deep cranks (red craw & "bluegill" colors), white spinners, t-rigged worms & lizards, drop-shotting, even some topwater. All on outgoing tide.

      Tips: Heard o a ew ish getting caught, but didn't hear any details.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 47

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I guided two gentlemen on Friday - one relatively new to bass ishing. They wanted me to show them about winter ishing with artiicials. We basically stuck with jigs, drop shotting, and rip baits. We did very well, catching about 22 bass rom 10 inches to 3 pounds. The ellow that was learning caught the 3 pounder - his biggest largemouth to date. I have to tell you readers what happened to him later! We were down by Indian Beach and the wind started doing crazy things about 1 pm as the ront moved in. I could hear it howl over by Windlower Point and it was coming to us - west to east - weird! I told them to make a ew quick casts, then we had to go. He threw his ripbait near a dock but it went a long way and the line sailed over the dock. You know what happened! He hooks a big bass on the other side o the dock on his rip bait as he is trying to ree his line - I tried everything to help him in the now ierce wind and trying to save my 520 Ranger at the same time! He's still yelling that he has the ish. We did inally get his line over the dock where he could land it and the bass had the gall to spit out the ripbait! Those bass just show no respect sometimes!! My other client didn't have as good a day but he did also hook a big ish that swam to him and he just couldn't get a good hookset. They decided they didn't want to ight the weather anymore. I think we ished around 6 1/2 to 7 hours. I loved the act that it seemed like every time I looked around, the bass newcomer had his drop-shot rod bent - he was hot - and the weather was not!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: We were using ghost pattern rip baits near weeds and in open water. It was interesting that the ripbaits were producing smaller bass overall. We did our best with drop-shot baits in shad color - Yamamoto Kut Tail worms and the rig I showed at the ISE shows - drop-shotting a 4 inch 031 Senko. I we let the Senko lutter to the bottom, they would hit it - just like a dying shad. Jigs seemed to produce bigger ish too. We had several rom 2 1/4 to 3 pounds.

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Well we were the second boat on the lake started near the dam in 20 to 30 eet. Partner got one about 15 minutes later, then they were on I got 5 ish in an hour. Then they were o couldn't igure out why. We went to some dropos and humps ranging rom 40 up to 20 eet my partner hooked up with three ish out there over a couple o hours. It was warm with not to much wind all day. Thought the ishing would pick up but we just couldn't entice them to bite any more so we called it a day around 2:30 pm. We inished with 11 bass total not bad but we did'nt have any good size ish in the boat. Met Mark Innman at the bait store that day I have been reading his reports or 10 years at it was an honor to meet him he gave me a jig and a couple tips. Thanks Mark!
      City: Coalinga

      Tips: Look or the ish to be on the move they seemed to be scattered all over the place, we caught all our ish dropshotting in 20 to 40 eet. Good Luck and don't give up!

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 51-52

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: only had a ew hrs to ish, on the water at 12pm started at morman throwing cranks n rips no takers, went north to the rock gardens did the same, nada , started working an isolated rock pile with a darterhead had a tap but didnt take it , then came up to a long tappering point with a sharp drop, eased out to 30t threw out an osprey swim bait(trout)to shallow water let it sink a couple a eet then started to crank real slowjust past the break line then wham rod loaded up the ish didnt ight that hard she came to the surace and i realized she was a toad, had no net got her to the boat had to lip her,some guys rom a tourny weighed the ish,11#10ounces, took pics and video then released her to the same spot,i know olsom is tough at times but now is the time to orget numbers and go big,im out.
      City: sacramento

      Tips: the biggest ish will spawn irst, they are in a pre-pre spawn mode, try the big trout swm baits you will be suprised, just keep at it. slow slow slow

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 49-51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Thanks Jerry or the current conditions!I knew it would be coming up ast with the rain but 10 eet! Ok as or the ishing I ished the 100% pro am..Drew John Brossard, very nice, and not to mention good angler. Fished worms and jigs all day or 5 ish 7.53...all worm ish caught on either arrons magic or blue crawler..my lone jig ish, on a 3/4 oz homemade jig w/ a zoom super pork chunk trailer. I ish both days o the Cottonwood bass club tournaments this weekend, so ill give a better report sunday night.
      City: redding

      Tips: ish slow..worms and jigs..i you ind a reaction bite your very good...har har

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Yorty last sunday. Arrived around seven. Started up the north bank in my loat tube and picked up one keeper. I ished a perect winter area. Fish were stacked on the edge o the break in 20 to 25 eet. I picked up three on a drop shot rig. One went 4lbs. On the way back I picked up one dink and cranked up a 4.5 on a at ree shad. The limit went about 11 to 12 pounds.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Fished mostly drop shot, jigs, and crankbaits. SLOW...

Friday, February 13th, 2004

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

      Report: Got on the water about 7:30am. Could not ask or a better day, no wind and not too cold. Tried rip and spinner baits irst straight agross the lake on the main lake rom granite bay launch, not much luck. Greg caught one 1.5 spot in the irst hour on a white spinner bait. The rest o the day we never got touched. We tried everything. We ished hard until about 4:00pm. Greg inally came clean about how he hooked the early ish. He back lashed his reel and the spinner bait sat on the bottem or about two minutes while he was ixing his tangle. When he started to reel in the slack, the ish was already on. He waited until 2:00pm to tell me that. I know Folsom will turn on soon, but even when the ishing is on there, I don't do well. No conidence in this lake. Too bad, closest lake to home.
      City: sacramento

      Tips: I ished some real good jigs patterns very slow. I ished darter heads real slow. I ished rip and spinners all speeds. I ished shallow and deep and everything in between. Never a single bump. Greg cought one ish because the spinner hit the bass on top o the head when he back lashed his reel.

    • By

      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: To the ellow who was looking or the back ponds: There is a map at the bottom o this link. The back lakes are the ones at the bottom middle and bottom right o the map. You have to go over the levy to see them.http://www.ebparks.org/parks/shadow.htm
      City: Santa Cruz

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

      Report: Fish are deep in channels.Water is very cold.
      City: Redding

      Tips: Use dark colors, drag and jig slow.The only hits I got was on a purple Brush Hog.

Thursday, February 12th, 2004

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Started at 7am out o Markley with a whole lot o og on the lake. Too dangerous to run to the North so we started in the Narrows and caught 2-2lbers within an hour. Fog started to lit so we let or the North and caught an early spawner with a at belly going a little over 2lbs. On this day it seemed a little early or spawners and most o our ish came rom the narrows, but give it another month with this warming weather and lookout or the big mommas!
      City: Sac

      Tips: We used brown jigs and worms in 20-30t

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Out o Lauritzen's at about three. Got three largemouth to about 3 LBs. and three stripers to 4, 7, and 10lbs along with a couple o tail slaps. The ish were incredibly aggressive or 52 degree water. I was surprized. Tide was lat low at 3:00. Started catching ish as soon as it started movin' briskly.

Tuesday, February 10th, 2004

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: ??

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: i use the 6'' slug-go in a silver white or anything resembling shad o course......ish it realy slow,once the water warms a bit more the reaction bite should heat up...ish the rock piles and points.cast across the point let the bait sit or atleast a minute then retrieve it slowly this is a big ish bait...also try a castaic swim bait they seem to worm well to this time o year....but i can never say this enough ish slow...
      City: sacramento

      Tips: tight lines!!!!

Monday, February 9th, 2004

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

      Report: Well, its sure changed rom last week. Caught a ew trout but really had to work or them. It was tough and nobody was doing very good. Also, threw the swimbaits or an hour or two with not as much as a ollow.
      City: Vacaville

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      Water Temp: 47

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished in the river arm. drop shotting a 4 1/2 robo worm caught a couple o decent ish. We were ishing in 30-45 t o water.overall ended up with 12 ish altogether.we also caught about a 4 pound trout as well.
      City: Discovery Bay

      Tips: stay in 45+ and ish slow. we were the only bass isherman on the lake. i you can avoid the trout isherman it makes or a good day.

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

      Report: I hate to use the report section or questions,BUT I need help! Im going to Clear Lake or only my 2nd time to ish and need advice on swimbaits.... sizes / color / brand / etc. I appreciate any help I can get. Tight Lines To Ya!
      City: Chowchilla,Ca

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: quick note.went out this morning on ish,no bites.still a little early in the year.water color on westside was pretty clear.
      City: antioch

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hey chris how about you chill out. I you walk in rom the west side at the bridge you can't even see the two big bodies o water. This site is or help and not to rage on people
      City: livermore

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: unknown

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished WON Bass on Feb. 8-9 and they were great during day one early morning bite beore the sun hits the water..the weather was rather reezing in the morning. Caught the limits in an hour and then culling the next hal hour beore the sun hits the water anyway. Day 2 was dierent cuz I was the last boater out since I was the irst boater out on day 1. The bite was tough on day 2 since it was wind blown out the lake. The waves made it impossible and plus the bass seems to be way deeper and managed to catch 4 that day..tough bites!
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Day 1..did use darthead jigs with inesse worms..great bites..then day 2..tough..managed to catch them on carolina rigging down 40-60t with brush hogs.

Sunday, February 8th, 2004

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: 51-54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY LADIES AND GENTS. I FISHED MAINLY THE NORTH END OF THE LAKE AND MANAGED TO PICK UP 5 KEEPERS. CAUGHT 4, ALL ABOUT 13" & 14" ON DROP SHOT AND ONE ON A GRUB, ABOUT 2 1/4 lbs. THE DROP SHOT RIG WAS MARGARITA MUTILATOR I IN 4". THE GRUB WAS A BLUE GILL KALIN'S. NONE OF THEM WERE DEEPER THAN 15' AND ALL OF THEM WERE CAUGHT ON PRETTY STEEP BREAKS WITH DEPPER WATER(30') NEARBY AND LEAD IN SPAWNING AREAS. YOU JUST HAVE TO BE SLOW ABOUT IT AND ALMOST LET THE BAIT WORK ITSELF WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE WATER. JUST A LITTLE ACTION TO IT.
      City: SAN JOSE