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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Thursday, October 9th, 2003

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went to Folsom with my best ishin' buddy Rick Tietz - the "spoonmeister"!! Anybody that can design his own line o spoons (Duh!) should be a pretty good spoon isherman and believe me - he is the best!!!! This time I actually kept up with him in numbers - almost!!! He got there at 10 am and I arrived at 11. I told him to ind them irst and he did - 4 at smallies and spots between 2 and 2 3/4 pounds. We ished together until around 6 pm and landed around 20 smallies and spots, and a 2 1/2 largemouth that I got on a Rodstrainer jig (rockpile)! The average size o the ish was amazing - spots up to three pounds and smallies up to 2 3/4. We only had 3 small ish. We ished only main body stucture - ollowing the bait. We spooned all o them except one or two on a dropshot. The spoons were ar more eective - we used morning dawn and shad colors with spoons up to 3 ounces. I can't imagine a more un aternoon o ishing!! And I got a DFG $10 tag on one o the ish to boot!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: This is the time o year that your meter is worth more than the weight o gold! I you understand structure and the movement o baitish, you can have some non-stop action in the all. In lakes with shad, the bass gorge themselves in the all - we had shad all over the boat as we landed each ish. You can be 20 or so eet away rom the bait balls and miss all the action. One thing about this kind o ishing - it is east or amine. Anglers will oten have great action during the day - in spurts! Sometimes you will run into a school o smaller bass eeding - just move around until you ind a school o larger bass. Believe me, Folsom is ull o them!!!

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: WELL HAVE NOT FISHED HERE SINCE MAY AND THOUGHT THE EARLY FALL BITE WOULD BE GOOD LIKE IT WAS IN MAY.WELL SURE ENOUGH IT WAS.FISH WERE NOT AS BIG BUT DID GET A LIMIT OF TWO 28".COUGHT ABOUT 20 ALL TOGETHER.JERK BAITS ON ALL FISH IN SHALLOW WATER.JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ON THE LAKE EXCEPT DAM AREA.
      City: SALINAS

Tuesday, October 7th, 2003

    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the Eastman "puddle" tuesday morning-we got to the lake around 630am and decided to start in the dam area.We cranked the dam and caught a dozen or so up to 3 1/2 lbs.We also threw plastics on darters and caught several up to 3 lbs-that died out so we proceded to the north end o the lake and had a couple nibbles but no hook ups.We motored over to the east side o the lake and again immediately got back into them on both crankbaits and plastics. A beautiul day with my dad-the lake is so low there isnt much let toish-not many decisions on where to ish! Also the water is the typical eastman algae green but the ish were all at and healthy and good and strong-tight lines to ya!
      City: Chowchilla

      Tips: ish are really aggressive-the stink...smell like they are eeding on crawdads so no is the perect oppurtunity to "match the hatch".We caught ish on crankbaits in both shad and crawdad patterns-plastics were crawdad colors as well. WATCH FOR ROCKS-there is ALOT o shallow water areas even in the center o the lake-be careul!

Monday, October 6th, 2003

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 74

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I guided Friday and Saturday day trips and ound the ishing to be air at best. Friday was ok with the usual all problem - ish jumping shad all over but not hitting topwater lures as in the summer. They are chasing shad to the surace and then going right back down to ind another bunch. We got one on a topwater and one or two on grubs thrown to the suracing bass. I tried a little spooning with a Duh! spoon and did manage a 2 1/4, 3 1/2, and a near 4 pounder - landed in open water at about 40 eet. We drop-shotted a ew and wound up with 7 or 8 bass, about a 14 lb limit. I ished the evening some and a little while at night and did very poorly. I talked to a riend that ished Sat night and he did poorly too. The Saturday trip was very slow, cool breeze, and very inactive ish. Not a touch on a spoon or a jig. My client did learn to drop-shot and caught 3 or 4, though they were not too big. Two o three other bass guys out there were rustrated too, could not get the eed ish on top to hit anything. The ones that were caught were small. Better ishing is around the corner - I think - I hope!!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Two or three weeks ago the ishing was good when the shad bite started and some big bass were caught. Last week there were some good bass caught in my boat to nearly 4 pounds. This week the eeding ish were really small. Did not hear many good ish boiling. The night bite may be good ater 1 or 2 in the morning but with day trips, I didn't stay up late enough to see. Once the shad surace bite slows with cooler water, the night bite will probably pick up again - it usually does.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: SORRY about the wasted post.My bad.Well anyway. Went over to Tom Payne Slough outside o Tracy this Saturday 10/04/03.Me and a buddy enjoy ishing near one o the pumping stations.While he was rigging up at the car.I went down to the area we like to ish and within a 1/2 an hour to 45mins. I had 6 six ish.5 Dinks to maybe a pound and a hal.I enjoyed the action especially when #5 came along.It was my personal best Delta Bass.She weighed out to 7lbs. and 11ozs. All ish came on Spinnerbaits.The big girl came on 3/8 oz. Chartruese Head.Chartruese and White Skirt with a White Curly Tail Grub as a trailer also Colorado Blades slow rolled and bumping the bottom and croosing the pipes.Bait ish all over the area.
      City: Mountain View

      Tips: Slow roll bladesand be aware o what your bait is doing.The ish elt like snags and then the ight was on.

    • By

      Water Temp: unknown

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: We got on the water beore light. We threw top waters at sun up. Nada. We started hooking up on spider grubs and drop shot in 20-40 eet o water. We were picking o about our bass a spot. We caught about 30 ish, mostly on drop shot. 2 bass were about 1 1/2 pounds. caught a lot o tiny dinks. Im surprised with the small averadge. Email me or questions or or a back seat!!
      City: Salinas

      Tips: Throw 5 inch spider grubs in green pumkin or watermelon. 5 inch robo worm, summer shad, mm 2

Sunday, October 5th, 2003

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 68-74

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Got to play ri,sat,& sun.Had a great time.Caught ish every where we went.Caught em rom 2 t.-10 t. 2's & 3's consistently with a ew 4's & a 5. Used tubes,brush hogs, senko's,grubs, robo's, rattle traps. Light traic, great lake.
      City: Hilmar

      Tips: They seemed to want your bait to move alot or they wouldn't hit it.

    • By

      Water Temp: na

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went rom good to dead. Fished it 3 days this week and my hotspot went cold. Only caught 1 keeper to every 3 dinks.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Wait or stable weather or true Fall weather. This hot & cold weather makes or pretty tough ishing or me.

Saturday, October 4th, 2003

  • Plumas County
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      Water Temp: 64-66

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: A antastic 5 day stay at Lake Almanor Resort. The smallmouth ishing was great. My wie caught her all time 4.0 lber. Also a 3.1 . The smallmouth were holding between 18 to 23 eet. We ended up catching our largest ish by draggin jointed Rapalas at 20 eet deep using the riggers, still it was a blast. The best time was discovering that in the aternoon the wind would come up and blow the smelt into small coves on the east side o the lake, the birds were our ish inders, and the ishing was ast urious during these times. Not only were the smallmouth located here but the Trout were piled up in these coves. Incredible time, incredible ishing trip. Thanks to Frank at Lake Almanor Resort and thanks to Larry or his last report about this lake.
      City: San Leandro

      Tips: Fish are in small pockets, ind them on your electronics and work lures that resemble the orage(Pond Smelt). Look or the birds working, thats where the bait is balling up. Fish outside the bait using kastmasters or bronze or gold jointed plugs.

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Flipped/Pitched worms to the weedbeds all over the lake - no bites. Switched to light line texas rigs &split shots and caught mostly small ones, with one 3 lbs on a texas rigged worm.
      City: san jose

  • Yuba County
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      Water Temp: 73

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I ished Collins or about 3 1/2 hours Wed morning, using mostly topwater. I started with Chug Bugs and got a 2 lb largemouth on the east side. I ished between two bouys and missed a good ish - maybe 4 lbs. I think I tried to set too quick. On the west side I got a 13" spot on the same Chug Bug. I tried jigs some with no luck. I started throwing a Super Spook around 10 am over deep water ledges and soon had a 2 1/4 lb spot just nail it! That was worth the drive! Only 4 hits - three in the boat.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Water is very clear and ishing is tougher on sunny days. The water is still warm and the good all bite is probably a ew days o. Topwater should get better soon.

Friday, October 3rd, 2003

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: THOUGHT I'D GIVE AMADOR ANOTHER TRY TODAY AND TRY THROWIN SENKOS AT THE DAM PER KATHLEEN. AS I WAS HEADING TO THE LODGE, A COUPLE SAID THEY DIDN'T GET BIT THE LAST TWO DAYS. THEY SAID THEY SAW SHAD BUSTING BUT NO TAKERS. I DECIDED TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT STORM FRONT TO COME IN. WE SAVED $28.
      City: Sac

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at Bethel Island (my very irst time) at 9am. Casted some senko's, spinners, cranks, jigs, etc...Caught a whole bunch o dinks but a riend caught a at 4lber. Got o the delta by 5:30pm.
      City: Hayward

      Tips: I saw lots o bait by the tulles. The bigger bass were in deeper water. The dinks seemed to be all over in the shallow water.

    • By

      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: We launched out o big break. Mysel and a riend. Fished low tide about 8:00 am to about 10:00 around big break and landed a lots o small bass. We moved on, things were slow untill the tide started to come in. Once it started to low we went crazy not a ish was under 4 lbs, largest 8 we caught a total o 11 quality ish.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: or us it was incoming tide,senco's and blade's. The ish are on a shad bite. Lookor isolated weed beds.

Thursday, October 2nd, 2003

    • By

      Water Temp: warm

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: got out there with my kayak at 7:15am hoping or a bunch o nice ones. Well, i ished very thouroughly the entire south end o the lake with a senko. Only got one bite which took my lure under logs 6 eet down and the ish came o. Thats all that happened. Iv caught ish there beore just like how i ished there today, but today sucked.

      Tips: honestly, im stumped, i ished more thourougly than i ever had. I guess senkos just arent working. There are a lot o weeds down there, so, i guess in the morning topwater looks good. Catch and release only, good luck.

Wednesday, October 1st, 2003

    • By

      Water Temp: 69 overcast

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: early start trolled thomas buoyants 1 7lb trout on top.2 smaller trout later in the day 5 pan sized channel cats.1 other boat on lake
      City: remont

      Tips: troll spoons top early deeper as day progresses.change colors se what catcheschicken livers nightcrowlers or cats

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 69.5+-

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: There is a decent blade bite going on ishing the wind blown lats and pockets w/ sparse weeds & deep water close by..you can catch the same ish with plastics but it's much easier and your #s will go up with some kind o hard bait in the wind...ski traic doesn't hurt the ishing there but it was light today and made or an nice day.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: ish the wind ..char/wht/gold spinerbaits..S20 spade tail

    • By

      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: It was slow going today. Caught a ew decent largemouth in the morning, using worms and jigs. Then it shut down and I couldn't get a striper or even a cat to take home.Deinitely didn't catch near as many as 50+ like the previous poster. That guy must have been using top secret military issue bate or something.
      City: Fresno

      Tips: Lure suggestion is to email previous guy and see what the heck he was using. I tried just about everything in my tackle box but had little luck.

Tuesday, September 30th, 2003

    • By

      Water Temp: n/a

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I KNOW THERE HAS TO MORE REPORTS OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well i got there aroun 430 and stayed till 745..it was air...i mean c'mon and a bass angler on shore at san pablo to me,,, getting a ew bites and having one come o is a pretty good day LOLZ . i saw ish chris up there too, what a treat...c-ya next time
      City: san rancisco

      Tips: well i go by the weather o course.. and the resivor was open till 8 today as well..i ished structure mainly and the deeper the water was my gamble. i only tried two things today a jig and night crawlers....my tip to anyone would be tight lines and keep it natural in all ways u can.

Monday, September 29th, 2003

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: n/a

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: i just want to say irst is .....I KNOW THERE ARE MORE REPORTS OUT THERE BUT NO ONE WANTS TO SHARE..LOL...ok well or my report, here it is...i was out on sunday and it was pretty air. as usual my irst ish was hard to ind but i ound it and a ew more. the size was air 14 inches was the average. all the ish ought hard and looked healthy..BUT all my ish that were caught were not at the normal spots i ished. it was more like all the ish let the summer resorts and went home.,,lol...there i go again trying to be unny, but it's true.
      City: san rancisco

      Tips: i suggest to everyone........i know we all have our avorite lures and rods, but don't be like me. i bought a jig a while back but never used it because it didn't look good enough or me to TRY it instead o using my conidence lures. well this sunday i ran out o conidence and i went into one o my trays to look or SOME CONFIDENCE and there it was..i went home with two bass, lost two, and two monster bluegiles. i ocus alot on the weather and season as well..i beleive it is a major impact in success...tight lines everyone..............