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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Sunday, December 7th, 2003

  • Mariposa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 60

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: ished Anglers Choice. Caught ish rom 5-50 eet drop shotting. big story was a 17.10 that was brought to the scales. ish was ound loating still alive. this would o been a lake record, but the guy who ound it was honest about inding it. took almost 11 pounds or 5 to win
      City: Riverbank

      Tips: drop shot, spider grubs

Saturday, December 6th, 2003

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 60

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: WE HAD FUN AT OUR FIRST WON BASS TOURNEY OF THE YEAR. ON THE PREFISH DAY I WAS DRAGGING AROUND A DEEP DIVING SHAD COLORED RAPALA CRANKBAIT ON A MED. ACTION BAITCASTER WITH 20LB. POWERPRO LINE AND A 15LB. BIG GAME LEADER. I HADN'T HAD A DECENT BITE ALL DAY SO WHEN I BOUNCED THE CRANK ACROSS A 9' DEEP RIDGETOP AND A DECENT SIZED BASS GRABBED IT I SET (son!!)THE HOOK AND SNAPPED IT OFF I ASUMED AT THE TOP OF THE SWIVEL. MAYBE 30 SECONDS GO BY- LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO TELL MY PARTNER " THAT WAS A DECENT ONE!" AND JUST AS HE'S TELLING ME I PROBABLY SNAGGED A TREE THE BASS COMES UP 30' OFF THE BACK OF THE BOAT HEADSHAKING LIKE CRAZY. LOOKED LIKE 2-2 1/2 LBS. TO ME. PARTNER SAYS PURELY COINCIDENCE. TWO MINUTES LATER ABOUT 100' OFF TO OUR LEFT THE BAS COMES UP AGAIN AND THIS TIME YOU CAN SEE AND HEAR THE CRANK RATTLING AROUND IN IT'S MOUTH. THE FISH CAME UP SHAKING ONE MORE TIME BEFORE WE LEFT AND I FELT BAD THAT MY LURE WAS PISSING HIM OFF. A LITTLE SIDE NOTE- I RESPOOLED ALL 5 OF MY OTHER RODS THE NIGHT BEFORE BUT NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH POWERPRO ON IT. TOURNAMENT DAY COMES AND WERE DOING OKAY (THANKS TO MY PARTNER!) AND WE'RE IN THE SAME AREA I LOST MY CRANK IN. I SEE MY PARTNER SET THE HOOK AND THEN HE SAYS "HERE'S YOUR POWERPRO LINE". I REACH DOWN AND GRAB IT AND IT'S GOT SOME GOOD (DEAD) WEIGHT TO IT. I START PULLING (AND PULLING) AND AFTER 25-30' OF LINE I SEE A HUGE WAD OF WEEDS AT THE END OF THE LINE. I HOLD IT UP AND TRY TO SEE IF THERE IS A TAIL STICKINK OUT THE BOTTOM BUT I DON'T SEE ONE. I PEEL THE WEEDS BACK AND THERE IS MY CRANKBAIT BUT NO FISH. AT LEAST NOW WE UNDERSTAND WHY THE FISH KEPT JUMPING- IT THOUGHT IT WAS STILL FIGHTING WITH 30' OF LINE DRAGGIN' BEHIND IT. I'M GLAD IT GOT LOOSE AND I'M GLAD I GOT THE BAIT BACK. AND I LEARNED A GOOD LESSON TOO- RESPOOL ALL YOUR RODS BEFORE A TOURNAMENT ESPECIALLY YOUR FAVORITE CRANKIN' ROD. MUST HAVE NICKED THAT LINE ON SOME DEEP ROCKS EARLY ON PREFISH MORNING.
      City: napa

      Tips: GOOD LUCK AND WHEN IT'S COLD- FISH SLOOOOOOW! PIG AND JIGS RULE!

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 55-57

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Lots o og, rain and wind today. Water very clear in most areas. It was a good quality bass ishing day or the most part.Fished points with wood and trees. Splitshot and dropshot were winners with Wes Sheehy's Killer Worms in gray ghost. The ish went rom three to just over our pounds. No dinks. Would have been nicer i there wasn't so much wind. A pict rom the trip.http://www.sonic.net/sheehy/FishingFolder/Recent_Photos_Folder/RECENT_PHOTOS_PAGE.htm
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Don't give up.Fish hit rom 10am until 1pm.

Thursday, December 4th, 2003

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 57

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: We were there the same night as Rick's previous report (Wed) and the results were similiar - a little better, but not much. Rick Tietz and I started ishing about 1 pm and I soon hooked the biggest ish o the trip - maybe 4 or 5 pounds on a Weapon Jig - but somehow lost it - ugh!! We only caught 3 beore dark up to 2 1/4 pounds on jigs - thought we had a sandwich at the coee shop. The spoon bite wasn't even happening - two hits - that was it. Ater dark I didn't get bit but Rick landed 5 bass on an 11" Gator Tail worm. The only ones that would bite were shallow. I worked a big jig most o the evening - but no takers. I really can't remember the last time I havn't been bit at night at Amador, but I guess I won't have that problem now, har! As the previous report mentioned, weather conditions were ok, but a north wind blew high og over the lake during the day and it didn't have a chance to warm up. At night, a south wind came up and blew the og north. Stu like that can aect a good bite. There is always next time!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: We saw ish as deep as 110 eet - wow!! The deep ish just wern't active day or night. Bass are still working the shad in 60 eet o water. Don't give up the worm bite just yet. I'm sure I could have drop-shotted a ew, but I have been doing too much o that at Collins Lake lately! Need a change!!

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Temp: 60

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Caught a 2 lb. largemouth the day beore Thanksgiving with dad at Alder Point. We used a simple drop shot rig with a 5" watermelon straight tail Robo Worm in about 12' water. It was a warm day (60 degrees at noon) but the water was cold. Try casting into the point about 20' rom the weedline and slowly retrieve the drop shot in.
      City: San Leandro

      Tips: Dropshot with Robo Worm!

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2003

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well, we should post both good and BAD reports here right? I've wanted to go night ishing in December or severalyears and inally the weather worked out. Everything was perect, well, almost. Great moon phase, no og, warm air mass, the winds died down, a nice blanket o clouds sotened the moonlight (like the bass love, right?) and all the critters were active (owls hooting, ish jumping) except or maybe the bass. Fished rom 2:30 pm till 9:30 pm. Threw deep diving crankbaits, swimbaits, jigs, and 12" power worms. Got a ew bites, missed one good one, broke jig o on a hookset (on the cast beore I was thinking, my line is nicked but - hey it's 20 lb test XT so why bother...) inally caught a 12 incher on a 12 inch power worm (black). That's it. Lake is still very clear and about 18 eet rom ull. All bites came rom about 25' - 35' near deep water. Three rom underwater humps, the others rom the main body. Only one worm bite, all others (5?) on the black/chartreuse jig.
      City: Folsom

      Tips: Use a big black jig with a Yamamoto 5" smoke silver lake grub doused with Smelly Jelly and/or Kick'n Bass and put it down around 25+ eet where you see ish on your meter and then have patience and lots o it. Better yet, ind balls o bait and use spoons - my electronics aren't working well enough to ind bait these days.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: went out yesterday caught some nice bass. watch or deris.
      City: brownsville

      Tips: I have noticed that less and less people are posting reports. I know or a act that there has been at least 5 tournaments there in the last month with no reports. I guess senkos and hula grubs are some kind o secret, and what color worms to throw that must be a secret also. So beside the occassional isherman or the Guide whos posting his report (ree advertisement) this site has gone down hill!!! I posted a report a ew weeks ago about the crankbait bite and one o my riends told me a guy in his club read my report and did really well throwing them, in act they beat them out he wasnt to happy. So share the ino let other isherman know whats going on. Im lucky i can go ishing any day i want but some guys only get to go once or twice a month and iguring out the pattern is part o the un. But when you do and it's 3 in the aternoon that suck's cause its going to get dark soon. So lets see some more action on this site

  • Riverside County
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      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: very very slow got one 2.5lber within 2 hrs in lot 7.
      City: moreno valley

      Tips: drop shotting purple robo cut in hal/ very slow retreive.

  • Westchester County
    • By

      Water Temp: 55

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Ater work looked great or me,unortunately i picked o only one,1.5 lber on a nice spinnerbait.This Bass had a ull tummy and was over illing.Took about an hour to get even bit so be patient.Inoticed a couple o little lunkers cruising the bank,n.wall.
      City: Fre

      Tips: keep catching and releasing

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2003

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Temp: 59

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: We got to the lake at about noon...(better late than never!) First cast, I got a dink on a drop shotting a Roboworm. Main points produced ish but not much size to them. I got a couple bigger ish drop shotting shallower (12-20') o water. Biggest was at 3 pounds. Couldn't buy a bite on a jig today...all drop shot ish.
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: "My worst day ishing is better than my best day working!"

    • By

      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Week-day bass club outing, we lauched at day break and headed toward day. We were pitching brown jigs. Partner yells ish-on and i start to reel in to grab the net and my rod loads up. He loses nice one and i put 2.5lb black in boat. We move another twenty yards and he swings on a 3.5 and that goes in live well. He has two more come unbuttoned at the boat so i start throwing a chrome speed trap a put two more keepers in the boat. Bite was slow but somewhat consistant. Winning weight was ive or 14.98 and second was ive or almost 9lbs.
      City: Hilmar

      Tips: Early morning jigs on any type o rocks or structure changes. As sun comes up blades and cranks in chrome or shad patterns. Fish will move deeper as soon as the sun hits the water so drag a worm or drop-shot and ish slow, slow, slow.

  • Tuolumne County
    • By

      Water Temp: 57-59

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Bright bluebird day today..Caught all ish dropshotting main lake 37-42 today. Saw much more bait than Friday. Had one nice largie that was close to 3..This lake continues to produce a lot o ish.Need a good rain to start the jig bite...
      City: sonora

Monday, December 1st, 2003

    • By

      Water Temp: 50's

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Met Dick out at Loma today and he had two nice trout. Was ishing the south-east side o the lake. He said he had a giant on but could not get it in. He was using lime green Power Bait.
      City: Pittsburg

      Tips: Roll Power Bait into worm shape beore you put on hook!

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: 53-55

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out or a ew hours beore having to pick the kids up rom school and had a great time. Wind was really blowing when I arrived so I decided to throw a Osprey swimbait on a long point up the north ork. 10 minutes wothout a bite or ollow, I then moved to another area and put a 2.5# smallie in the boat on a dropshot rom 46 eet on a ????Roboworm. Staying in the same area I moved around to ind bait and located a 29 oot hump surrounded by the 45 eet and put another solid ish in the boat. Moved over to Eddie Murphy to chuck the swimbait some more and ound the place to be loaded with bait. Dropshotted another solid keeper then it was time to go. Fish not quite in the winter pattern yet as the lake hasn't turned yet, but with the wind, rain and colder temps, they lake should turn soon.
      City: Roseville

      Tips: Dropshot, dropshot, dropshot. There are probably some reaction ish irst thing with all o this cloud cover, but you can dropshot 20-30 ish a day i you're in the right area.

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The Cottonwood Bass Team will be holding its 10th Annual Team Bass Tournament Sat. December 6th. on Shasta Lake out o Bridge Bay Resort. It will be an 80% payback with 1st place paying back at $100 per lb. 2nd place on down will payback at $50 per lb. until the monies are gone. Big ish will payback at $100 per lb. and is included in the entry ee. The entry ee is $150 per team. Signups will be taken at Phils Prop Shop thru Friday the 5th. Signups will also be taken tournament day at Bridge Bay Resort starting at 4AM. Awards and a rale will be held at the Tail-o-the-Whale immediately ollowing the tournament. Hope to see you on the water,Cottonwood Bass Team
      City: Oak Run

Sunday, November 30th, 2003

  • Yuba County
    • By

      Water Temp: 53

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Another very successul trip at Collins yesterday. I guided two brothers and one o their older sons on a cloudy day with rain all around but it missed us or a change!! The wind wasn't a problem this time and the ishing was good, but not or a big ish bite that I thought we would get with the dark skies. They wanted to break last weeks number o bass and they did - we caught 32 bass with only 2 or 3 under 13 inches. All spots except 4 largemouth. The biggest was only a 2-10 spot but our 5 ish limit was 11 1/4 lbs. We caught ish drop-shotting, shaking 6 inch worms, and several on Rodstrainer jigs in brown/orange and purple. The ish were a little more shallow than last week, but not much. The lake is still dropping about a oot a week - we need some serious rain. We caught ish all over the lake rom the river arm to the dam. Several spots oshore were very good.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: These bass continue to spit up more shad than I have ever seen at Collins. I think that is a good sign. Bass are starting to relate to sharp dropos.

  • Tuolumne County
    • By

      Water Temp: 57

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: REALLY COLD 1 SMALLIE IN A.M. A FEW SPOTS IN THE P.M. NOTHING SPECIAL TODAY.I GUESS I WASN'T HOLDING MY MOUTH RIGHT!IF YOU FISH HARD YOU'LL CATCH THEM. YOU'LL HAVE TO PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT!FISHED BEAR,ANGELS,AND 49 AREA.
      City: OAKDALE

      Tips: WORMS AND SPOONS IN 35-55t FIND THE SHAD THATS THE KEY!!!!!!

Saturday, November 29th, 2003

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Nice day with stripers up to 8 pounds (lost one toad). All on surace baits with the exception o a ew on 6 inch tube baits. The ish were chasing shad in most cases but not all. We lost count at some point, but probably hooked upwards o 30 including some nice largemouth. Memorable day. Had one clear two eet rom the surace attacking my woodchopper and missed. Close enough that it almost landed in the boat. You don't want to be a shad in the Delta during striper season. :)

      Tips: Surace baits or surace baits, i not try some surace baits. We also caught some on a surace bait. Although we saw another boat catching them on surace baits. But generally speaking, the best bet is a surace bait. :)

    • By

      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Shore ishing rom 3-5PM. Overcast sky and light wind. Perect condition, except the water was extremely low. Caught one that hit crankbait lightly but ought very hard.The ish weighted 4 pound 6 ounce, 22" long, 13" girth. That was the only action. Also saw a lot o crawdads crawing the shoreline. Tried jig-n-pig, got one tap, but didn't hook. Hope the rain on Sunday will bring water up.
      City: Palo Alto

      Tips: Try to cover a lot o area. Fish are all spreat out.

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 55-56

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Spent the day on Oroville with my bro-in-law just looking to get bit, as he ishes a bunch but doesn't do much catching. I had ished here about 3 weeks ago and done well, so I igured I'd just pick right up where I let o, right? WRONG! Although the techniques used were similar, the locations had changed considerably. The channel banks which had been so productive on the previous trip were barren now (lake has dropped about 10' since then), so I had to do a bit o searching to get back on the ish. On this trip, windblown (albeit a light breeze) blu banks were the key. I you were 15' rom the bank and had 60' o water under the boat, you were okay. Found the bait layered in about 40'-70' on the shale rock breaks, and the bass were right with 'em. Dropshotting Angler's Choice and Roboworm shad colored plastics was the key, with depths ranging rom 40'-75'. I'd guess we inished the day with 35-40 bass, and 4 over the slot. All-in-all, a lot o un, as my bro-in-law told me he caught more ish on this trip than on all his others this year combined (maybe no ish in Minnesota?). :-)RR
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: Put that graph to good use. Look or the bait to be close to structure and layered in a horizontal band. I you see short streaks moving at diering angles within the bait pod, get ready or action. LUNCHTIME!!