Northern California Lake Fishing Report
- Almanor Lake
- Berryessa Lake
- Cachuma Lake
- California Delta
- Camanche Lake
- Casitas Lake
- Clear Lake
- Diamond Valley Lake
- Don Pedro Lake
- Folsom Lake
- Iron Gate Reservoir
- McClure Lake
- New Melones Lake
- Oroville Lake
- Perris Lake
- San Luis Lake
- Shasta Lake
- Sonoma Lake
- Almaden Lake
- Almaden Reservoir
- Amador Lake
- Anderson Lake
- Barrett Lake
- Black Butte Lake
- Blue Lakes
- Bullards Bar Lake
- Calero Reservoir
- Camp Far West Lake
- Chabot Lake
- Chesbro Lake
- Collins Lake
- Contra Loma Lake
- Coyote Lake
- Del Valle Lake
- Dixon Lake
- Eastman Lake
- Guadalupe Lake
- Hennessy Lake
- Ilsanjo Lake
- Indian Valley Lake
- Kelsey Bass Ranch Lake
- Lafayette Lake
- Lake of the Pines
- Lexington Lake
- Loch Lomond Lake
- Los Banos Lake
- Los Vaqueros Lake
- Mather Lake
- Mendocino Lake
- Mendota Slough Lake
- Merced Lake
- Millerton Lake
- Modesto Reservoir
- Morena Lake
- Murray Lake
- New Hogan Lake
- Nicasio Lake
- Oso Lake
- Pacifica Coastline
- Pardee Lake
- Pillsbury Lake
- Pinto Lake
- Piru Lake
- Quarry Lakes
- Radio Lake
- Rollins Lake
- Ruth Lake
- Sacramento River
- Salt Springs Lake
- San Francisco Bay
- San Justo Lake
- San Pablo Lake
- Shadow Cliffs Lake
- Shastina Lake
- Skinner Lake
- Soulajule Lake
- Spring Lake
- Stevens Creek Lake
- Trinity Lake
- Tulloch Lake
- Turlock Lake
- Uvas Lake
- West Delta
- Whiskeytown Lake
- Woodward Lake
- Woollomes Lake
- Yosemite Lake
Sunday, September 28th, 2003
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Amador Lake
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Water Temp: 74
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: Started at around 7am in the launch ramp cove, partner caught irst ish on a Sammy we both proceeded to catch a ew on topwater and lukes. Ran back to Jacksons to look or some bigger ish but nobody was home. Shad were busting all over the lake and like Larry said it's tough to get these ish to hit anything else. So we decided to pick up the dropshot rigs and continued to catch ish with the largest going around 2 pounds between the two o us we probably caught around 20 ish mostly dropshotting the outside weedline. Pulled out at around 1pm.
City: Carson city, NVTips: Bass are all getting ull on shad. We threw jigs, crankbaits and towards the end o the day tried senkos with no luck. Dropshot caught most o the ish with a ew caught on topwater in the morning. Bring on the Fall weather!
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Chabot Lake
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Water Temp: 70 down to 29'
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: On water again rom 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or a another ishless but enjoyable, albeit cold, day with a ew other anglers on the lake. Son, John, and I again ished mostly swim baits, large plastic worms, Senkos, and jigs looking or the one big bite. We again ished at and above the thermocline, the top o which was at 29 eet. Wind was brisk throughout most o the morning rom the north. Many schools o shad were again observed near the surace over the channel but lures run through and under them produced nothing. Neither o us had any kind o strike on any o our presentations. Our anticipation is still high, knowing that any cast could produce a giant bass. The curious thing is that there don't appear to be any small (1-2 lb.) to medium-sized (5 - 10 lb.) bass in Chabot. Are those the ones that were electro-shocked and transerred to the Quarry Lakes?
City: Monterey, CATips: Again, not much help here...we anchored and ished down-wind mostly. I moved several times trying to ind some structure which might be holding ish.
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Clear Lake
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Water Temp: 75
Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)
Report: Friday evening was ull o surprises and the irst came quickly. I was wondering what I would do or my clients a ew hours ater 116+ boats let the water. I decided on cranking and the second spot we ished, one o the clients hooks a real good bass and I net an 8 pounder! I guess I was mentally shocked since I didn't expect anything like this 'til ater dark (he hooked her at sunset). Wow - the tournament guys orgot one!!! And I guess I am just getting used to a client landing a big bass. Hot streaks are nice! That was the good news. He was using a Norman DD-14 shad pattern by the way. The next surprise was not so good - in act - shocking. As a previous post mentioned - the night ishing was worse than horrible! I think the bass wanted to please the tournament olks. There was NO bite and I mean NO bite! The other client and I each landed one each - his a 2 1/2 on a worm and mine a 3 pounder on a crankbait. That brings the total ish or the trip to 3!! The clients did lose a ew. An eight pounder never looked so good! Thank goodness she came early in the trip so I didn't try to sink the boat. I believe that is the slowest summer-all night trip I have had or years. The next day a client and I joined "orces" on the lake or a beautiul day and lots o whizzing bassboats. My client started with a nice 2 3/4 pounder on a crankbait. We drop-shotted most o the day and did get into a good bite o 2 1/4 pounders or about an hour. It was tough but we managed 10 bass or a 12 1/2 pound best ive. Blue and purple were our best colors. I did not intrude on the tournament guys and had a nice time visiting with some o them.
City: Yuba CityTips: This is the time o year (about a month) when the bass eed heavily during the day with all the bait around. The night bite at Amador this week was lousy too. Friday night was probably tough or several reasons and it did aect the carp too. We probably heard about 5 roll the whole night. They should have been active on a warm night. I have been raising the bait a bit higher on a drop-shot rig lately and that seems to help. There are not too many bass right on the bottom this time o year. Another month and things will change!
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Contra Loma Lake
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Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)
Report: Winds were high blowing east to west. I shouldn't apologize or previous idiots, but I apologize to the serious angler.I started with lipping worms; it was 11 am when I hit the water, tight to the reeds, tulles whatever you guys call them. Oxblood was the color gettin hammered. 3 ish going 5.8. Wind intensiied, went to shallow runners i.e. speed trap and rat'l trap(ripped). Beat up my craw pattern. Need to replace the trebles. Never had a chance to hit the rip-rap, roped o. Best 5 went 9lbs. Active but small. With less wind will toss more cranks towards dusk. Out o the water within 4 hrs. Take care and good luck. to right o boat launch hit' em with topwater! Samm,y got alot o boils with high wind.
City: ConcordTips: RED!
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Lexington Lake
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Water Temp: na
Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)
Report: Last week was not so bad as ar as Bass. The ish I caught were between 10-20 eet o water. Not really red hot, but un. Average size was about 2 pounds.
Tips: Swimbaits or jigs smack on the bottom seem to be the ticket last week.
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Mendota Slough Lake
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Water Temp: 69 to 72
Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)
Report: We started in the morning use worm and jigs. We caught some small bass. We also threw rog no luck. Then we threw traps and caught 30 to 40 striper bass. the biggest was almost 9lbs.Then we started drop shot and start catch largemouth bass. We caught one that was almost 8lbs. The next cast caught one that was 7 1/2 lbs. We were use robo worms in bluegill color.We in up catch a total 55 ish.
City: resnoTips: The key is to ind the bait.
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Saturday, September 27th, 2003
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Almaden Lake
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Water Temp: unknown
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: Fished out o Russo's marina. Fished along the tules and weed edges at high tide - missed a couple and got one 4.5 pounder on a brushhog with 3/8 oz jig. ished the rest o the day driting through Franks Tract - caught 10 or so ish along weed edges on a 1/2 oz white and chart blade, had a ollow right to the boat by a big ol' bass, maybe eight pounds. threw everything at him but couldn't convince him to bite. A nice day on the Delta.
City: San ranciscoTips: The water seemd unusually clear - slearer than my last trip 4 days earlier. don't know how that aected the bote or even i it did.
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Amador Lake
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Water Temp: 74
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: I ished part o two nights and part o the in between day and ound the bite to be very slow, especially at night. The irst night I caught only one, about 3 3/4 pounds on a 10" Power Worm. The next morning I only tried or big ish with big baits and struck out. No takers. I did catch one or two on topwater and should have given up on the big ish sooner and had some un. The bass were all over chasing shad. The day bite was tough until about 6 pm when a riend joined me and we caught 3 beore dark. He threw a 6" weightless Yamamoto grub to a rising bass and she took it right away - she was a little over 3 1/2 pounds. I got a 3 on a Devil's Horse and another under three. Ater dark we ished or awhile and I got a nice 2 1/2 on a black crankbait. The worm bite was nearly dead - we did miss a ew. I hope this is the calm beore the storm!!!
City: Yuba CityTips: When Amador bass are eeding on shad in September - they arn't interested in too much else. The night bite is oten slow or about a month. I had heard the ishing was good last week. I don't like to hear that because it usually means it will change or the worse when I get there!!
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Berryessa Lake
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Water Temp: 72
Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)
Report: My irst time ishing this lake and could not produce a single strike... not that I'm a great isherman, but are there any bass in this lake? Stayed at Steele Park and ished primarily in that vicinity. The terrain there is a hell o a lot dierent than that o the Delta (the water at Berryessa is beautiul). Spotted baitish in the morning so I ished topwater, nothing. I switched over to everything else in my tacklebox ater that, nothing. Went back to the cabin and took a nap. As I checked out, I asked the lady at the oice i there were any ish in the lake, she replied by saying, "Some, but you have to know them on a irst name basis." I told her that I called them every stinkin' name in the book! We both laughed... Though I got skunked, just being out on the water on a perect day and getting your line wet is all anyone could ask or.
City: HaywardTips: Is the lake turning over???
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Hennessy Lake
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Water Temp: cooling down
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: Went out w/a couple o relatives.we managed to catch about 8 bass rom the bank. My uncle landed two largemouth that were 5 pounds each. He also picked up two more that were about 1-2 pounds a piece. He caught a couple brush guppies also. My only keeper was a 2 lb. smallmouth my other ish was a dink. All o the nice ish were caught on 4inch plastics in various colors. Some good ish are also being caught on topwaters in the morning an evening and when it is overcast. The water is deinately cooling o and the pods o shad are roaming the surace water again. On Friday night 9/26 may cousin caughta nice ish on a topwter as did my uncle. I was skunked Friday. Oh well the ishing is deinately picking up.
City: NapaTips: 4 inch plastics and topwaters are a good bet.
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Shasta Lake
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Water Temp: 69-73
Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)
Report: My partner and I went up on Saturday and preished or the up coming NewBass TOC. Haven't been up to the lake since last year. Got on the water right at sun rise. Tried throwing rip baits and top water- nothing. We cover alot o water that day to have only about 7-8.5 pounds. Found using my 1/4 oz darter with 6 inch salt & pepper seemed to work the best up in the cloud and squal. Talked to a ew other boats, they were having the some problem with getting any size or a steady pattern. Sorry I couldn't give anymore ino, I didn't have much going or mysel. Will be back up there next weekend, hope the weather changes or the worse, rain would really turn on the bite.
City: Suisun City
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Whiskeytown Lake
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Water Temp: 65'
Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)
Report: Ryan, you have tatoos on your legs? I so, we saw you and the blonde near the damn sat. morning.Now or the ishing report;Fishing pretty good in the a.m., but only three keepers caught. One was a 3.3 lb spot. Lot's o dinks drop shotting. Also caught a nice crappie. Gone at 11a.m..........
City: SF/ReddingTips: MGM Aaron's magic, and the MMIII by Robo.
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Friday, September 26th, 2003
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Amador Lake
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Water Temp: 75
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: FRIDAY MORNING BY THE DAM NEAR BOAT DOCK. MORNING AROUND 6:30, 7:00 A.M. CAUGHT A 10 POUNDER ON A SINKO BLACK WITH A SPLIT SHOT. DRAGGING IT SLOW. THIS IS MY SECOND 10 POUNDER AT AMADOR LAKE, THE FIRST ONE WAS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LAKE. CAUGHT THAT ONE ON A BLACK SINKO DRAGGING IT.
City: SANTA CLARATips: SLOW DRAGGING, WITH SINKO. MORNING RIGHT BEFORE SUN COMES UP.
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Water Temp: 77
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: SKUNKED. TOO MANY DAMN WEEDS. PRICES TOO HIGH FOR 2 FISHERMAN AND BOAT.
City: SacTips: TRY COMANCHEE
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Del Valle Lake
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Water Temp: ?
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: Got on the water around 730. Tried everything rom topwater spooks, spinners, worms, jigs on all points laydowns and weed areas, i got a couple bites and brother got a nice 5 pounder o a small point in about 6 t next to a laydown. Everyone else reported same slow day. With the 10 mph speed limit on the whole lake, don't think i'll be going back soon.
City: PaciicaTips: I think i need the tips or this lake. Anyone know anything or this lake?
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Don Pedro Lake
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Water Temp: 74
Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)
Report: Had a tough day on the lake yesterday. We did a lot o looking or new areas to ish. Got on the lake about 0630. Looking or bait. Found them in 8-70 eet on water. Tryed crank-baits, jigs, drop-shot, split-shot, etc.. We ished humps, creek channels, main lake points and lats. We had A LOT o very small ish ollow our plastics (4"-10" ish). We managed to put 2 ish in the boat by 4pm. The ish were about 14", caught in about 18' o water on a drop-shot. Found these on the side o a hump next to a creek channel. Boy were they scrappy. They really smacked the drop-shots, these ish were not shy at all. Let the lake about 5:30.
City: WaterordTips: ind the bait...ind the ish. Be persistant.
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Thursday, September 25th, 2003
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California Delta
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Water Temp: 72
Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)
Report: One person guide trip out o Stockton, we ran to the main river near ranks 1st thing. We started ishing bends in the main river with current. High out go in the morning. I was tossing the green craw speed trap and the other guy was using the white /gold persuader. I caught about 7 ish then I gave it up and we switched. He started catching ish with the speed trap and I was getting them ok on the persuader. The spinner bait was getting better ish but the the speed trap was catching more. We hopped around the main river until low tide and caught 30 plus ish the biggest was only about 2lbs. We did have a big one on ,on the speed trap but got o at the boat, maybe a ive. Ater lunch we hopped aroung Franks low incomming and the bite really slowed o. We ish some ledges and breaks, weed lins and such looking or some better ish but never ound them. Back to the rocks and weeds with current and we caught about 8 more and went in.
City: ConcordTips: I'll be out again a ew times this week or smallies and largies look or the reports. Remember the PERSUADER TOURNAMENT is coming up in less than 2 weeks.
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Quarry Lakes
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Water Temp: 72 with og, win
Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)
Report: 3rd time this week, trolled.only boat on lake.caught 6 trout,kept 4.1 catish on rainbow runner,a irst.1 nice size small mouth.nice place to spend a relaxing morning and a ive min.drive rom my house.
City: remontTips: troll buoyants,rainbow runners and minnow plugs 15 to 21t deep.
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Shasta Lake
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Water Temp: 68-71
Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)
Report: Been out a ew evenings the last 2 weeks. Getting an inconsistent topwater bite on jitterbug. Near rocks and stick-ups in areas not used by houseboats. Small, tight coves on the main lake and steep wall rocky areas in back o secondary and tertiary coves. Many dinks but a ew nice ish, best a largemouth at 4 and change. Honest, using a scale. Anyway, good topwater ish.
City: Redding
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Spring Lake

















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