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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Sunday, September 14th, 2003

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 78

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started ishing a 6:00am in the North Fork with luck using shad spinner paits and shallow cranks. Continued up the North Fork ishing the trees with no luck. Ended the day with our in the boat.
      City: South Lake Tahoe

    • By

      Water Temp: 74

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started in the South Fork working steep bank with spook. Had two takes but no hook-up. Switched to dropshotting the same bank with 4 in. Roboworm sculpin (Aaron's Magic) on 4 lb. P-Line CXX in 25-40 t. and caught my largest smallmouth (3+)to date, a handsome 3+ spotted bass and two sqeekers. Graphed ish out to 50 t. and bait balls were all around. On occasion the surace would erupt with bass chasing bait but or the most part they looked like this year's class. O water at 9 a.m.
      City: C.H.

      Tips: I have good success with any style Roboworm in Aaron's Magic. The ish came rom an area where the steep bank trasitioned to a long point. Bottom was sticky suggesting a rocky bottom.

  • Westchester County
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      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Yes unortunatly the truth hurts. As we know the water district as well as as the parks dept are the higher ups that we have to deal with. I want everybody out there to understand that the parks dept own the consessions at Quarry and not at Chabot. Obviously there is more interest or them at quarry than at Chabot. The thing is that we couldn't have dumped tree 1 at Chabot without doing Quarry. I am working with Pete now to hopeully do something better at quarry than last year. Unortunatly quarry takes president over Chabot because o the all mighty dollar. I it was up to me I would not do squat or quarry simply or the reason I have no interest in supporting quarry or anything. Please come and help us at Chabot this year we know the planting is working there. Hope we can get some dierent ideas and as well as the same turnout this year.
      City: Castro Valley

      Tips: Please catch and release all bass or there are no planting programs or them. They rely on their own species to regenerate their population. Take out the breeders there will be none let or our kids to catch

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: went over there wiht my dad and reind in my boat at about 4pm tues looking or cats, spend 20 bucks on permits and bait/tackle and didnt catch shit. Its wierd i heard the cats are doing really well, but we didnt get a bite with 3 rods out there. And about bass, that was the only slight action i got, was when i was throwing a brush hog to a tree, and rock wall, when i got aew bites. So that told me that the bass are doing good, i i could get bites rom just sitting in one spot. should have gone or bass.

      Tips: Catish suck over there or me, im sure other guys do better. I eel that its all about location over there. I tried 3 spots, and no bites on bait. But the bass seem to be biting well in trees, rock walls, and points on sot plastics. Good luck.

Saturday, September 13th, 2003

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 76

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: got on the water around 6am. headed up the south ork, stopped just past the bridge when my partner and I saw bass busting baitish. Caught a bunch a little ish on lukes, and 1 2+ largie. Proceeded up urther to ind simular action, bass attacking bait ish. Decided to leave the south arms ater chasing baitish and small bass, to the north; and again ound bass busting the surace, caught a ew largies and spots to 2#'s. Not a bad day ishing caught ish all day but had to run around a lot. Nothing on top water..... all ish on lukes, and drop shottin'. can't tell the color plastics used because we have a tourney on the 27th.... to be continued.
      City: olsom

      Tips: have a bait ready at all times... when the bass busted the surace, caught the ish right aterwards in the irst ew seconds. wait to long and the ish will be gone. then cruise or more. bait ish seemed to be everywhere through the lake.

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 71*

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: using 4" robo worms on darties in about 10 to 15 eet o points in coves provided 3 lb. smallies that were ull o eggs. also caught lots o 13" smallies on shad rapalas. my 7 yr.old son caught a mama on a chartruesemini spinnerbait. had no idea the smallies would be spawning at this time o year.
      City: redding

      Tips: the bite was on and the ish didn't mind what we threw. cranks worked in the morning and plastics in the aternoon.

  • Calaveras County
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      Water Temp: 76

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: On the lake the 11th and the 13th. The bite here is on. Caught 22 keepers to 4.5 pounds on thursday and 13 by 8:30 on Saturday.Bite was all over the lake on Thursday and better in the creeks on Saturday. Boat traic scattered the bait on the weekend. Senkos and lipless crank baits.
      City: sonora

      Tips: Fish the large weed beds and under bait. Remember not to waste your time on anyting over 15 eet deep here.

Friday, September 12th, 2003

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

      Report: Went ishing in the delta near discovery bay caught some bass near the entry way to discovery bay ished outside the weed line with terminator white and green terminator spinner baits had great luck with 10 bass between 2-5 pounds no 10 pounders this time but the reason could be i orgot my plastics at home... i seen alot o bass boats in discovery bay does anybody know i there was a tournament ???? no stripped bass in discovery hell didnt see more than 8 ish on the inder in the whole place and all seemed pretty small,so i tried my luck on a rapala i just bought and caught a small stripped bass on my third cast but i dont plan on going to discovery bay again or awhile.
      City: Fremont

      Tips: My tips or you are dont ever orget your plastics at home while planning a trip to the delta, and i you do hope you bring spinner baits. On plastics and jigs i have good luck with the bigger bass, but the spinner equal more over all bass or me.

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Started in Big Break at 2 p.m. Missed a couple on buzzer, switched to popper and managed a ew short stripers. Moved to Fisherman's Cut and immediately started catching on poppers and spooks. We had two doubles and our ish in our casts. The cut was loaded with bait and the ish looked healthy and well-ed. Ended up with one 4+, two 3+ as well as handul o squeekers to 2+. Thank you evening topwater bite to salvage the day.
      City: Citrus Heights

      Tips: Fish were on bank and two or three pops o the lure and let it sit worked best. Both the Splash-it and Spook were white.

    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: ished most o the day without a trolling motor. Lost it ater an hour or so o ishing. Wind pretty minimal which helped us out. Fished big break or a couple o 2 lbers. One on a white buzzer and a couple on traps. Worked our way up to Franks and ducked into Piper. Worked current lines outside o weedlines. Caught several using yamamoto worms, tubes and senkos. One 7lb. on the worm. No rog ish, and no blowups. Nice to have no wind when the trolling motor conks out.
      City: san anselmo

      Tips: ish current on the outside o weedlines.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 69-73

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I am going to attempt to combine 3 guided trips into this one report, so i you get bored, change the channel! I don't think I will give up night ishing at Clear Lake as I suggested in my last report. Monday night was really something!!! We had our irst "normal" cold ront o the all coming in rom the northwest and though it wasn't cold yet, the wind was sustained at 20 mph with higher gusts and my boat control problems were the worst in about 2 years. My clients were great olks however and the ishing was just as great! We were only able to ish in about 3 areas but they all produced biting bass the WHOLE trip. We caught 31 total (only 4 under 13") and our 5 best were 21 lb 3 oz. Our limit would have been much greater except or the act that one o the ellows was kind o new to bass ishing and lost one on a jump over 5 and another at the net over 7. I think he has learned more now about hooksetting! That hurt but he caught a lot and was thrilled to hook those big bass. The other clients big bass was 7-3 on my avorite combo - a brown/orange jig (Weapon) with a #180 Yamamoto grub. He caught that around 11 pm. My biggest was 5-5 caught just beore dark on a black/chartreuse Weapon jig. Please note that all our "small" bass were 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 pounds. You'll see why in a minute. Those bass ed non-stop or hours. Most o our night bass were caught on Berkley Power worms, lizards and Dead Ringer worms. Wednesday morning - two more clients - with the lake inely calm but cool and cloudy. We started cranking at irst around Rattlesnake Island and only caught a ew 2 pounders. I knew then we needed to slow down and ish Senkos, worms, and jigs. About 7 am one o the clients got his Senko stuck on a rock. He tried to get it o himsel - he succeeded - but instantly had another problem - a big bass nailed it! Wow - to see that ish come out o the water was thrilling. She was 7-2 and appeared to be ull o eggs. She looked like a big spring emale. I mention this because 3 years ago I caught an 8 pounder in Sept at the same spot that was beat up and bloody - as i she had just spawned. Hmmmmmm. An hour later he caught another beauty on the same color Senko - 5 lbs 5 oz. It was a special order color or them and I better not reveal it as they are tournament ishermen. We wound up with 26 bass - but - this trip the small ones averaged 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds. Total dierent class o ish than the previous night. Typical cold ront action - smaller bass overall, but luckily a ew nice ones. We Senkoed weeds and docks all over the south end. Drop-shotting was ok, but not great. I was surprised. Our best ive were just under 18 pounds. Ater a nap, I took a long-time client or a night trip on a suddenly warm, calm, ull-moon night. Fishing should have been great - right? You guess it - ater 2 days o eeding - they quit!! We caught 9 bass and most o those just beore dark. He did manage a nice 3-11 on Windlower and a 3-2 ater dark. He was using 8" worms. We tried everything and everywhere - totally dead. Even the carp - usually active on a night like that were sleeping, though we did hear quite a ew in Jago Bay. Not a single bass bite in Jago Bay however.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I knew our Monday night trip was likely to be slow or very good. The irst true cold ront (some showers at Clear Lake on Tuesday) kick the bass in the rear and gets them out o the summer doldrums. That is exactly what I think happened that night. I believe that was the most aggressive bite I have seen there in two years. Once again, as I did last month, I experienced how largemouth can totally turn on and within a day or two, totally shut o. One doesn't usually experience that in lakes that have spotted bass - thank goodness. The jig bite has been better day and night this summer than last. I have tried spinnerbaits at night quite a bit with no success. Crankbaits are working much better. Most o the quality night ish are still in 15 to 25 eet o water except right at dark and the irst hour o light. I can't remember clients getting average 7 pounders in late summer three trips in a row. Maybe that is a good sign or the all - maybe we will see more quality bass than last all. Lets hope so!!

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went our with Sonoma veteran Jimmy Mac to see i we could catch a ew hogs. Typical sonoma wind throughout the day but very hot in the out there. We threw a variety at them starting at 8:45 and staying till dark. 10 ish landed nothing o size. First ish not till 11:00 motoroil chartruse worm 1.4lbs (little did we know that would be the biggest one). 11:05 a dink same bait, 11:20 1.0 on a wht/char spinnerbait. 12:25 dink spinnerbait, same thing throughout the day. More ish came ron the north end than the south. We used Blades, Cranks, Splitshot, Dropshot, T-rig, jig, jerkbait, gave them a good chance to tell us what they wanted. Their answer was Chartruse and only the dinks were talking. Fish were caught around structure and o shore a little. Better luck next time, as always it was a heck o alot better that working!!!!
      City: Paciica

Thursday, September 11th, 2003

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 68-71

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well, hit the Delta about 7 A.M. out o Sugar Barge. Strange weather on the Delta today, cloudy, then windy with rain o and on. Tried topwater early with no takers. Downshited to the drop shot and caught about 30 or so. The biggest was about 1.5 lb. I even caught a catish on the dropshot. Tried some blades and cranked or a while with no takes. Tried a little trolling or Stripers with no luck.
      City: Walnut Creek

  • Westchester County
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      Water Temp: 65-70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: To all those who ish here this lake sucks and will always suck as long as ACWD has control over the EBRPD. Last years christmas tree planting was hard work i know i was there or many hours trying to use some dumbass tie wraps to tie a tree to a chain. When the water luctuates (as it does so much here) the trees look and do nothing more than make my eyes hurt and litter the banks o which i have ished since beore the perimeter ence was even put up !! it makes me riggin SICK to think that all that time we spent was wasted cause now the trees don't provide much at all and why don't they just pull them out to the deeper water because ACWD wont let them. Chabot on the other hand is beneitting more rom this program my advice orget QL save the trees or chabot thats or you DON i u want advice and help i'll give it to ya but the truth hurts sometimes unortnately!! - OQB
      City: Fremont

      Tips: let the trout isherman have this place!! but i someone happens to catch something well CPR it as don says

Wednesday, September 10th, 2003

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

      Report: Surace bite has been un lately, most ish between 2-4 lbs, with an occasional 5+. I ya want to stay busy, try inesse plastics just outside the weeds with a ish every other cast...not much or size. Most large ish have been o blades or me....white.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Bussbait in the middle o the day, but tight to cover....or over lats with weeds just under water.

Tuesday, September 9th, 2003

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: Hi 60's

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The Ranger said they may close the ramp or the rest o the year ater today, I would call in advance beore going.Nice to be out there even though I did not do well. On the lake at 8:30 and out at 4:00 and only 4 ish o no size. 10:15 dink on a drop shot 4" wacky senko, 10:40 1.2lb on a baby brushhog split shotting, 1:20 dink watermalon senko drop shot, 3:00 dink watermolon senko again. Wind was a actor all day and the water was muddy by 10:00. Fished rom 35' into shore tried blades, cranks, jerkbait, dragging a senko even a topwater. The small ones I caught were on plastic drop shot or splitshot. I did see two nice LMB in the 4 lb range sunning themselves all the way back in the last cove on the right in 3 t o water. Tossed my bait up on the hill behind them and let it roll o the shore and they still spooked big time.
      City: Paciica

      Tips: Better than working anyday!!!!!!

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: Mid 70's

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Got out late, about 8:00am. Stayed south around the Orewood area. Too many people in the north end rog ishing. Worked the grass lines that butt right up against the current drop shotting. The ish are thick in the grass. Caught just as many at low tide as I did high tide today. Must have had something to do with the ront that went through. Using 4" worms, anything bright with a chartreuse tail. Finally stuck one over 7 pounds. Caught about 20-25 ish while I was out. Should have brought my son today. He would have had a blast, I did. Take a kid ishing. Any kid will do. Keeps them o the streets. God bless.
      City: Rodeo

      Tips: The big ones are in there. Keep picking through the dinks, you'll ind them. Fish the grass lines that are right up against the current. The grass lines urther back are ull o dinks.

    • By

      Water Temp: 79

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: On the water around 5 pm. With irst 4 hook up on cranks at the beginning o rock creek.Moved up about 200 yards and boated several more on senkos. O the water by 8 boating 9 ish nothing over 2.5lbs. Cranks ish caught around 12 eet, senkos 0-3 eet.
      City: Roseville

      Tips: Water very low...Launching in the mud with no dock..Make sure you have a partner to help with the launch.

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

      Report: E-mail me, I live a minute rom the road that leads to the creek.
      City: Livermore

Monday, September 8th, 2003

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

      Report: while ishing in the delta i hooked on a 10 pound 9 once biggie also caught a 4 4-6 pounders but the irst was the best. I released him ater a picture, i anybody wants him he's out there hidding in the weedsi ound him now its your turn.
      City: remont

      Tips: caught him in the weeds using a a snag proo rog that was chaurtruse, i ran the rog over the ar side o the weeds skipped him across the weeds and let him all in a clearing. the 10+ pounder hit it on the all and wham hooked him.