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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, October 18th, 2003

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      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: This was a late report or Lexington. Fished at Lexington last Saturdaywith a new riend, "Ferdie". I met him at Arastradero lake and he is a verynice gentleman. We started ishing around 8:30AM at the southend. Water there was quite shallow and the action was slow, hookinga only ew "baby" bass. So we decided to move toward some deeperwater. About 10AM, I was able to locate a sudden drop using one o mycrankbaits. Right there, I hooked the irst decent ish. It went 12inch. The second cast at the exact same spot gave me a 16 incher. Ithought there might be a school. Too bad, we got only one dink more.Ater spending about hal an hour there, we moved urther north. Ferdie wasable to get a ew more ish on crankbait and Carolina rigged worm. Butthe ish were quite small. The biggest one might be a pound. At onepoint, Ferdie elt many nibbles on his crankbait but he couldn't get goodhook-set. He thought they might be small ish. So we let that spot.Hal way to another point, I decided to throw a ew more castback to that point. On my second cast, something big was eating myCarolina rigged worm. I elt very heavy pressure on the hookset and it was ableto pull the line out on a tight drag setting. "Fish on" and Ferdie wasrunning back to see this action. Ater a good ight, I was able to lipher. She was 20 inch long and weighted 4 pound. Too bad I didn't carrya standard scale to get the correct weight. Another "should have done" lesson:-( Ater a ew pictures,we released her. (I I have time, I will post the picture in the photosection.) We ished together until noon and I needed to call it a daybecause my girlriend was waiting to have lunch with me. Ferdiedecided to stay longer. Overall, un ishing. Oh, I orgot tomention that it was the irst time or Ferdie to ish at Lexington and he did very well. Catch&Release
      City: Palo Alto

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 65-67

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished north end on secondary points with grass near drop-os. Boated a limit, biggest going around 4lbs. All ish came in less than 10 eet o water, all on texas rigged baby brush hogs.
      City: rohnert park

Friday, October 17th, 2003

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      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Great day on the watyer...caught over 30 bass in 4 hours with the largest 4# on a spinner bait! That one was caught by Richard P....we caugrt the rest o them on a drop shot rig in the back o a cove. The shad was gathering up in the grass and so was the bass. We got some really nice ish in the creek chanel right on the edge o the grass line. No top water and just a ew on a crank bait.
      City: santa clara

      Tips: Find the bait ish and you will ind the bass.

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: ME AND MY TWO BUDDYS CAUGHT OVER 40 BASS AROUND 15 10 POUNDER THE REST WERE 2 TO 5LBS
      City: ELK GROVE

      Tips: NOW THAT THE WATER IS GETTING COOL USE SENKOS OR JIGS BUT WE MAINLY DROP SHOTED OR IN THE MORNING THROUGHT SPOOK POP OR PROPS

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

      Report: On the water 8 A.M to 1 P.M. Caught 5 our ish. Fish the entire lake using crank baits. 1 ish came in shallow water in a cove and the other three in 10 eet o water on rock points. Not very productive didn't see any stripers boiling.

      Tips: Stick with crank baits and ind the points.

Thursday, October 16th, 2003

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out o Brannon Island around noon. Hit my irst spot only caught 2 small ish. Today I decided to make the run to White slough because all I've been catching is small ish. Did o.k. Caught a lot o ish but biggest only went 3.9, caught most cranking rock walls with isolated weeds. Had a pretty good buzz bait bite just beore dark. All in all not worth the gas to run to White. Next time I'll stay on my water near Franks.
      City: Vacaville

      Tips: Speed Traps are great this time o year.

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

      Report: Got on the water around 4:30 A.M. with my dad. His irst time to Clear Lake. Headed to the south end and ished docks using brush hogs and tubes. In the previous months I was on to good ish with both baits. First cast, pulled an 18" ish nice and at. 1/2 hour later, only one other hit but no ish. Swithed to the tube and picked up two more around 2.5 and 3.0 lbs. Dad also picked one up on a tube around 13". Started making long casts with a senko to about a oot o water. First cast...wham!! 6lb 5oz. Just ate the thing...Had to cut the line and leave my 5 ot Gamakatsu in her. Two casts later on the same dock...wham!! 4lb 3oz. And same story, lost another hook. The ish were eating it as soon as it hit the water. Swallowed boore I could set the hook. Continued to ish the south end with the senko and continued to catch smaller ish. Those little guys are sure nice to see all beeed up. As the sun came up we started to move a little deeper and had my dad try a drop shot rig. He did well and managed to get ew nicer ish in the 3lb range. I kept pitching the senko, Tube and Brush Hog, and managed to get ew more smaller ish and one with a little better size at 3lb 10oz, on a brush hog. Headed up north around 10:30 A.M. and tried to look or a crank bait bite.......non exsistant. Took a little 1/2 boat ride to show my dad around the lake and let him enjoy the atmosphere. We were o the water by 12:30....Had a good day but have to cull through smaller ish to get a nice one. 16 ish total and best ive went about 17lbs 9oz or so.......Just keep ishing and they will come.Good luck
      City: Marysville

      Tips: I stick with what I have conidence in. My best advice is to keep conident and don't be araid to mix things up. I hear so much about the crank bait bite going on but I continue to do well with iness baits. I would suggest hitting docks in the south end beore sunrise with a senko. All my better ish came shallow right at sunrise.

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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hello boys, have a good nights rest? I missed you. Where have all my wannabee's gone? Did school start again? Oh well someone's gotta do it since the dumbass county o Santa Clara can't igure out how to drain this place ast enough. Every ish I pull out and save rom certain death will go to a better lie in Old Reavis's armpond.
      City: Los Gatos

      Tips: S.O.S. Senco's and 17lb test. And here's a new one. You know the rumor about how there aren't any beaver's in Lexington? Well there aint any Piranha either. Tite lines brothers.

Wednesday, October 15th, 2003

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I stopped by Walton's Pond, a bait shop in San Lorenzo, and picked up stop dark colored jigs with rattles and a couple o bags o dbl tailed pigs. Store a little expensive but the guy behind the counter justiies the prices. He knows my secrect spots and I can bet he probly knows yours... Anyway got to the lake about 1:30 walked let side o the lake past alders point. I ished a steep rock edge with a blk/blue rattle jig with a dbl tailed blk/red speckle pig. First strike ten minutes in set hook brought him up slow. He broke the water and threw my jig.....Dam....Looked to be 2 to 3 pounds. Threw back same spot. two minutes later..bam...another got him up same thing thew jig...Dam...small one though 1 to 2 pounds... Then it hit me trim those dam weed guards and bend the hook o jig head... I orgot to do it. First time out this year. Threw bak same spot ive minutes later....Kaboommmmm... Huge hit....took three good runs, then broke water twice beore she calmed down. brought her up 12.3 pounds..What a way to start the year.....
      City: San Leandro

      Tips: 15 to 20 eet are in schools right now ind one ind many. Look or steep rock walls or big rocks 15 to 20 down. Use rattles or brass to attract and go slow....

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 64-69

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Thought I would give a quick update on my two 6 hours trips - Sat and Tues, preparing tournament olks or upcoming events. The water IS ugly, but doesn't seem to hurt the ishing. Most o these trips I just run around with the guys looking at the lay o the land - er, water! Even though we didn't ish all that much, we landed 23 bass in the two trips (12 and 11). Saturday we caught good quality with each client getting a 3+ and I ending with a 3-14 on a Weapon jig. Today we saw or the irst some o the 7 and 8 inchers. The trip started with a thud as I lost a 5+, again, on a jig. I showed them how to drop-shot and one o the guys had a 2 1/2 in about 5 minutes. He caught several nice ones up to 3 1/4 pounds. He also caught three on a "weird" crankbait (one on the irst cast!) I wish I could tell you what it was, but o course I can't. Client privilege! In spite o the unending pressure - I saw at least 50 boats today - a TUESDAY, I think the ishing is pretty good. The "new breed" o upcoming uture monster bass (I hope) sure makes ishing un again at Clear Lake. And these 1 to 2 1/2 pounder ight, as you all know!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Drop-shotting, cranking, and now jig ishing are the best things going in my boat now. We threw spinnerbaits a lot today but the bass wern't impressed. I you upgrade the size o the bait you are drop-shotting, most o the time you will upgrade the size o your catch. I was explaining that to my clients today at a 7 inch bass nailed my upgraded worm!! Well, at least the theory is good!!!

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 67

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished around the marina in my tube today.Lots o bait between 12' and 20' deep with big bass suspended under them in 35' to 55' o water.Broke o a bunch in 50' o water beore landing a 5. Its the biggest bass I've hit dropshotting. Got the 5, a 4 and a 3 with a bunch o 1.5 to 2 lb bass.Biggest 5 were 14.2 lbs.Also caught a 14" redear dropshotting.Not a bad day.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Find bait and drop 4" and 6" worms through them. Used Killer Worms in Gray Ghost made by Wes Sheehy on #4 line.

Tuesday, October 14th, 2003

  • Tuolumne County
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      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went to Melones rom 10/7 to 10/12 and the irst couple o days were a little slow because we were trying normal bass ishing techniques. We caught 25 ish on 10/7, 35 on 10/8 then we igured out what to do. Like the guy beore me posted ind the bait balls and the ishing is on. We ound huge bait balls o shad all over the lake. It would work best i we ound a bait ball in 26 eet o water, drop a 3/4 to 1 ounce hopkins spoon just o the bottom and start spooning. We were having 100 + ish days all ish were between 1 1/2 to 3 pounds. At one point we stopped to eat lunch and just hung some minny gitzets over the side o the boat and were cacthing ish that way. We had to pull the lines in because we could not eat our lunch between ish. Outstanding ishing there right now.
      City: Hayward, Caliornia

      Tips: Find the bait balls and jig a spoon or gitzet in the bait ball and hold on.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished in the Chico Bass Club Tournement this last weekend. Tried to preish the lake on riday but had to contend with North winds. Caught only two ish that day with biggest at 15". On tournement day the winds inally died down. Fished points in the middle ork and main body and limited out by 8:30am. Then sought out bigger ish but only managed a 16"er. For the day, me and my partner caught a total o 39 bass all between 12-16 inches. Total weight was a little over 7lbs. Not a bad day!
      City: Antioch

      Tips: Drop shot with about a 2-3t leader on main points at depths between 50-60t. Bass spitting up shad.

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Got out at about 5 pm. moved across the lake tossing a spinnerbait to see i i could pick one o the weeds. once i reached themiddle island i started tossing a chartreuse senko to all the shallow cover. no hits yet. ished my avorite bush with the senko, irst cast i made a perect skip right into it. saw the limbs start moving. reeled up line and set the hook, landed a real healthy 5-2 lber. this was a nice atty. started covering water again with a spinnerbait. made my way up to the northern end and started tossing a rootbeer/redlake senko to the deep weeds. irst cast landed a 4-5. got in beore dark. not to bad or the time i was there
      City: windsor

      Tips: ish senkos slow, ish arent hitting hard so concentrate on ur line.

Monday, October 13th, 2003

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: We hit the lake at 6:00am and it was colder than a well diggers ankles! I decided it was time to start listening to Larry and go deep with a spoon. Watched the graph until we ound bait and they started hitting. I also had good luck with a 6" shad color Senko. We stayed out o the shallows and hit deeper water this trip and really got some nice ish........thanks Larry.
      City: South Lake Tahoe

  • Tuolumne County
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      Water Temp: 68-72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out today to see i last Thursday was just and exceptional day...Man this spot bite is on..No big ones, but alot o 14 to 16 1/2 inch ish...Lost count on how many keepers caught today...This are heathy at ish...A lot o un..
      City: sonora

      Tips: Stay with the bait..They are gorging on shad

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Blasted o just beore 7:00 am, headed up the middle with the wind slightly blowing. First spot cranked up two ish abot 1 lbs each. Moved all the way back past the no ski signs. Caught a 3 lber, then two 2 lbers cranking windy banks. The crank bait is a Zenith/Specilaity tackle.com bait. These baits are great.The wind died down and I threw a Rico on shady walls and pick up several ish over a pound. Ater 10:00 am I dartheaded and texas rigged worms with a lot o success. Most o the worm ish were in the 15-25 t range. i also taught a riend to Dropshot and he caught several ish as well.
      City: Roseville

      Tips: I the wind is up, it's reaction time. Other wise dropshot, darthead and texas rig worms. Good colors are Aaron Magic, Babybass and Oxblood light with red leck.

Sunday, October 12th, 2003

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Tree dumping date has been established or Janurary 10th. Hope to see everyone that helped us last year and maybe some new aces. I will have more ino ater the last meeting on Nov 6th. I am not sure but there were talks o Del Valle this year. I will post all the ino in 3 weeks
      City: Castro valley

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished o shore rees and caught one 2 lber on irst cast as soon as it hit the water I was thinking oh yea we are gonna have a great day but that was not the case, it took me 2 more hrs beore I landed a ish not including the 4-6 inchers that would hit and run and not take the hook. I did inally get on to a patern on deep docks wacky rigging a 3 inch leech on a drop shot rig and got 3 more landed and lost a 4 lber that rapped me around a dock post.The wind picked up and I was ishing out o a 12 t boat with no trolling motor so I had to go in.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: The drop shot rig with a 3-6 inch purple worm or leech will work. I spoke to a man and lady that were doing well tossing white spinner baits,they had 17 lbs or 5 ish. I don't think water clearity had anything to do with the bite being slower than 3 wks ago I think its the moon phase and weather.

  • Yuba County
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      Water Temp: 71-73

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: As I headed west, do I keep to the let to Oroville, or hang a right to Collins..Had not ished the lake or a ew months... Right turn. Spent some time looking around.Headed to the lakes center shallow area and ound the bass slamming the surace.No wind.Cast to the surace action, single tail grub, didn't matter the color... Set the hook. One o my better days on Collins. Good un. Top water action.. Rip bait,spinner bait, no drop shot action. At the launch ramp got rid o the trout that hit my spinner bait the spot dropped to a couple guys with no action.. That was the word at the launch.. no action.. no ish.. I had a great day. Might take the motorhome down next weekend or two days ishing..
      City: Penn Valley