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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Monday, January 5th, 2004

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Started the day o 9am launched orm brannen island. Fished ishermans cut and ranks tract threw blades and cranked with no luck. Flipped a blue black with a mad man trailer 3" with blue claws. Had and solid 3lb and it came unbutton at the boat and the second ish will lets say dont put down your rod to get a soda!! the line took o then stopped. No ish!! I ished what I believe was a possible incoming high tide. There was lilly pads all over the place. The 2 bites came when I slowed down ish were not burried in cover like I would have thought? But then again it was only 2 bites all day 9-330pm.
      City: yuba city

      Tips: Slow cause I threw my arm out rom 9 to 1 cranking and blading with no luck what so ever. Tip stay home its still cold even with the sun out.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 47-48

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Sorry, no sturgeon, just an old fashioned bass report! I fished with a client yesterday late-afternoon until 2 am. We actually saw the sun for awhile and snow on all the surrounding mountains - wow! We fished worms and jigs until dark, only catching 4 up to 2 pounds. After dinner, we fished in cloudy weather with sprinkles, but it wasn't too cold. The smaller bass were very active during a previous trip 2 weeks ago with him, but not as much last night. The fishing was really dead at Shag Rock, Henderson, Kono Tayee, Anderson, and other spots. We went back to a rocky area I like off Hwy 20 and started circling the dropoffs. I know some of you will laugh, but a few carp starting rolling about midnight. About 12:15 am I nailed a 2 1/2 pounder and the brief winter night bite was on! In 45 minutes we had 5 in the boat for 19 lbs 3 oz - topped by my biggest for awhile - an 8-10 hawg. It was good to feel one of those again. Since he has caught the biggest in our previous few trips, I guess it was my turn. The carp quit rolling about 1 am and that was it for the bass bite. We never caught anything for the last hour. I was pretty discouraged most of the trip with the slow bite but followed my own advice when bass fishing - never give up!! 10 bass on artificials in the winter at Clear Lake at least will keep you awake!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: The jig bite has been really slow recently for us, especially at night. Normally it is quite good on fall and winter nights. However, the Power Hog and brush hog has, as always, been a good bait at night. We caught all five of those on hogs with Smelly Jelly. The 8-10 was right where you would expect a big fish - a drop (ledge) from 6 to 15 feet, with a gradual drop to 17 feet with scattered boulders. After my hog dropped to the 15 foot level, I swam it trying to bump the rocks. The second rock I bumped was answered with a rather good 47 degree THUNK! Do I love that or what!! In hindsight, I think my client might have been fishing his baits too slow since he didn't catch as many as he usually does. The bass need to know where you bait is in cold water, especially at night. Movement does that. We also caught a few on Dead Ringer worms - red shad.

  • Tuolumne County
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      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Actually it is 2005 but the menu didn't allow for today's date! Anyway, didn't get on the water til 1030 and found fish in the 25' range on darterheads, 6" oxblood. Rocky points with wood nearby was what we found for active fish. Graphed fish at 45+ but couldn't get them to go.
      City: Modesto

      Tips: very soft bite,,,,fish slow

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 48.8 to 49.5

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: In at Bailey Cove at 10:30 AM. Fished out to the mouth with 2 in the boat by the Blonde. Spent the rest o the day in the main body on the North side to keep out o the COLD wind. Largest went 2.2lbs. That was the big ish o the day. All the rest were 1.5 to 1.7lbs. I only managed 3 while the "Blonde in the back" brought in 10, and the 2.2 was hers. (Jerry, maybe you should re-think your partner choice). All the spots came on jigs in about 30 to 40 eet o water. Out at 3:45 PM.
      City: Cottonwood

      Tips: The road into Bailey has a couple o trees down, but it is clear, a little tight in one place. Wouldn't go too early because o ice on road.

Sunday, January 4th, 2004

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Not really bass ino, but news. Arrived around 9:30am. Trout were lively today but not really hungry. Took a while to convince them to get the hint and hit my jig:) I ended up leaving about 4:30 with a stringer totalling 23 lbs including two 8 lbers, and Sean had a total o 25 lbs including an 8 lber and a 6 lber.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Hitting white plastic and worms. No luck rom my end on the lures/spinners.

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I guided two local ellas that wanted to learn the lake better and learn how to catch bass in winter. We launched out o Markley at 10 am and started catching bass right away in and out o Markley. In act, we caught 6 o our 8 total bass in the irst 2 hours. It really slowed in the aternoon. We caught one shaking a 6" green craw worm and the rest on Rodstrainer jigs. Best color Saturday was the tri-color - blk,blue, purple with a #157 Yamamoto single tail grub. As the previous report said, the ish wern't too deep - 15 to 30 eet. One o the guys landed a nice smallie on a jig - 2 lbs 3 oz. We had two largemouth, that smallie, and the rest spots. Our best ive were around 8 1/2 pounds - not too bad or the cold weather conditions. Very ew bites - just pressure. I was happy with how well the guys picked up winter ishing - un day! They did miss a lot o ish, and we missed the last 4 bites just beore dark.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: We ound points and one wall to be our best areas to ish. We ished any area that had aternoon sun. That seems to work better when the water has some color to it. The water color in the narrows was perect and the lake is two or three eet rom ull!

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 46

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Mike T and I launched rom Lazy M bout 8 o'clock. Cold but clear skies. Went strait to Kellog and ound several other boats ishin or the big bass (stripers) like us. Looked or birds eedin on shad...looked more...and more...and we couldn't ind em....cept one...the BIG Bluebird sky! Must o been why we and 10 other boats we asked caught as many as us...0. Yep, not a bite. Tried everything in the bag but still no bites. Graphed a bunch but no ishon the line or in the boat. Saw some Gulls on the way back to Widows, a whole bunch! Rubbin my hands together expecting the wild eeding renzy I quickly noticed the 10' 1000 lb sea LION??? Ok a SEA LION!!! 2 o em and they weren't having any problem with the 2 to 4 pound cats that they were literally thrashing to death! Jeez man! The wildest ishin I ever saw! We watched the glass surace...then all o the sudden a MONSTER SEA LION pops out SLAMMIN the catish side to side. Got a couple o pics o hal ish to prove this to my wie! Hal ish! The other hal? I guess the sea dogs got em. Seemed like they only want the part without the horns. Wild eh? We thought so too. Finished or cast and retrieve session o 6 hours. Gooood practice but nooooo ish. No biggy.
      City: San Leandro

    • By

      Water Temp: 46.2

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Started out at 8:30am, ound the clearest water possible in our area near Fisherman's Cut. Caught 5 line- siders, biggest 12.04lbs at 35 1/2 long. Fished "slow" and used sot plastics. Try something dierent than everyone else, you may be surprised! Good luck!
      City: Carmichael

      Tips: Find clearest water and ish slow.

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 49-51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Me and my buddy Taylor were out on the lake rom about 9:45-3 and caught only 10 bass total. 2 spots and 8 largemouth. Eight o the bass came on drop shot (anything that looks like a shad) and the rest came on spoons. Anywhere rom 25 to 40 t deep. Our stringer together was around 12 pounds, better day than what we thought because how cold it was.
      City: pioneer

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

      Report: I got the cmera developed i will post the pictures tommorow around 5 o clock when i get back from work. they will be under photos. you imposters are going to be suprised that their really is sturgeon in clear lake

    • By

      Water Temp: 47

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Do not know the lake well, but have had pretty good luck on a couple previous trips. Was very cold. Started o throwing rip baits neat the launch. No luck so picked up a jig. Quicky caught 2 on the brown/purple jig and missed a couple more. Started working up the lake but no more bites. About 2/3 way up the lake water got dirty and water temp dropped to 42 degees. Tried anywat with no luck. Switched up to a drop shot ater the breeze died and sun came up. Got 2 bites, but set too quick. Ran down to the steep rocks by the dam and picked up one more on a C-rig.
      City: Brentwood

      Tips: With a dropping water temps had to eed them the baits, set too ast and would come up empty.

Saturday, January 3rd, 2004

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 49

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: We hooked 10, but lost 5 o 'em. Post-ront conditions with 6" water clarity. Blk. jigs 12-15 t. Lost some toads including one that might have been 6-7 lbs.
      City: San Jose

  • Westchester County
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      Water Temp: 53 clear sky

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: witnessed nice smallmouth being kept alive with trout in wire cage caught with night crawlers.isherman said he planned to eat his catch.maybe we can declare bass an indangered species as they will soon be at QUARRY LAKES.They were there long beore the trout.the answer is when you seguest catch and release they say this is a put,pay,catch and take lake.anglernet.net or trout report RELEASE THE BASS
      City: remont

      Tips: FISH AND ENJOY THE OUTING

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: 52-53.5

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went to the big lake to see whats going on..The big lake is in good shape and coming up quick. Water color was great. Fished breaks and wind blown banks for an hour with jerkbaits and traps for one small fish. Started to meter fish in cottonwood and dropped a minnow down and had a grab on the first drop. Myself and guest landed 15 or so with most in the 2.5-3lb range and solid fish for my partner that went 21 even.That fish put up one hell of a fight. We fished with 12lb Flouro and 8ft light steelhead rods. Al were released
      City: San Jose

      Tips: There are some fish to be caught on artificials but we used live bait and rods were bent. The wind came up in a matter of 5 min!! It went from flat to very lumpy. And just like that it was DAY OVER...keep an eye on the wind to stay out of trouble and for god sakes where a life jacket!! I can't believe how many anglers I see out there in small boats and no friggin PFD. It's not worth dieing.

Friday, January 2nd, 2004

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 49-50.3

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Rain all day, but no winds at all. Started in the narrows area, working points with long drop offs in 15 to 35 ft and finding some nice smallies in 2.0 to 2.9 lbs. Find the warmest water and you'll find more fish. Using a brown/tan jig with a # 180 grub double tail find must of our bigger fish. My partner was draging a lizard and catching 8 nice bass in 1.5 lb to 2.2 lb range. Just fish slow and deep. The weather was cold and wet.
      City: rocklin

      Tips: FISH SLOW 15-40 FT

    • By

      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: water is low but most o the stumps are visable and still in about 2'4' o water 8lb large mouths are very common right now crappie are plentiul around the bridges witha stripper o 15+lbs her and their, catish are also active.
      City: resno

      Tips: its tough to launch a boat larger than 12' aluminum but the water level makes it easy or walking the banks. spinner bait is the toll o choice or most, but i have great luck with cinco's and true motion sotplastic lure's yes they work.

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

      Report: 4 brian, -red bluff ask tony at phils for drop/baits by mark's tails oo1 in white with atomic/ghost trailer or drop/shad in threadfin or rainbow. the staff at phils is very good about showing several ways to fish these baits,SR., tells me yogi has a lot of input into this productive bait.
      City: redding

      Tips: on bluebird days these baits may help ?

Thursday, January 1st, 2004

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

      Report: Everyone interested in helping dump the x-mas trees needs to bring themselves and their raingear i nedded. The plan is to start at 7:30 by meeting at the boathouse then get shuddled to the dam. we are going to use rope this year so it will be aster and easier than the ties. see everyone there
      City: Castro Valley

    • By

      Water Temp: around 45-50

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Coyote today from 8:30-12:00 with Slammers, 1/2 oz. jigs, and 10 inch worms around the dam but never got bit. Tried looking for clearer water but the rains have made it pretty hard to find. I think this is the best time to throw the big swim baits at Coyote in my experience ,especially the topwater ones, becuase the fish are more concentrated due to the low water levels plus the bass havent really seen a trout in a while.
      City: Salinas

      Tips: Look for a more stable weather cycle, and clearer water if you can to really throw the swim baits. Oh and the ramp is still closed....

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

      Report: Fished out of Browns Ravine Saturday afternoon from about 1:00 till dark. Graphed an occassional fish in 35' but most of them seemed to be way down around 65'on ledges. Drop shotted, spooned, and jigged to no avail. Not even a bump.
      City: Sac

      Tips: Watch out for unmarked boulders and islands just below the surface. We almost did some serious damage to the boat in a couple of locations off the main penninsula.