Submit
Report

Northern California Lake Fishing Report

Limit:

Saturday, August 23rd, 2003

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 74

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The Bass Classics o Santa Clara Valley had there August tournament at Holland Tract and there were some nice ish caught. In irst place with 18.23 lbs or 5 ish was Mike Espinola I had three small keepers at the change to incoming tide at 11:00 A.M. and ishing in an eddy next to a shady dock I nailed a 6.72 lb bass on my crawdad crankbait. Then about two hours later I nailed a 6.21 lber on a cht & wht spinnerbait next to tulles and weeds in the channel near current.In second place with only three ish and 16.76 was Javier Cruz he also had the big ish a 7.6 lber. He caught his big one on a 7" Helix worm watermelon red lake in a rocky area near current. He also had a ive lber hit his watermelon lizard shakin up tight against a tree in 8 t. In third place was Dieter Spicker he caught ish on weedy lats ishing the edges with a chrome Blue rattletrap & he had some on a Senko or 13.37 lbs and our ish.In ourth place with a limit o 10.85 lbs was David Malley he said he caught his ish on Blades and when they missed the blade he ollowed it up with a Senko and caught them near tulees and weeds o the main channel. In ith was George Torres he caught his ish on Senkos and small red worms or 5 ish or 10.6 lbs.
      City: Fremont

      Tips: The ish bit better at the lower end o the tide and ater it started coming in a little ish shade and eddies in the current. Also never give up till the last minute because several o the ish caught were caught in the last 15 minutes o the day.

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Just wanted to thank all who ished the Elk Grove Bass Club Beneit tournament. I really appreciate the kindness o all those who donated their time and money to my amily. I would especially like to say thanks to Joe and Robin or organizing the tournament and providing the barbeque. It eels really good to know that I have riends like you guys who care.Thanks to allPaul, Sara, Madison, and Marli Buccola
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: Keep your riends close because you never know when you are going to need them.

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: 71-74

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Well not a great report, ound ish and got three keepers. Albeit a post ront rom yesterday's wild storm, I did not expect much. I ound tons o stacked balls o bait and ish, many short strikes. The ish were there and they pulled the plug on the lake it is dropping ast, be launching at Hobie Cove in a week or so.The new GPS/Sonor is awesome, why I waited I will never know but what a improvement. I have not ever been much o a sonor reak or inding ish but this should make me better.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: The next ew weeks should see a great bite open up as the ish go on a migration to the arms or a while. The trick will be ollowing and patterning them.

  • Tuolumne County
    • By

      Water Temp: 81

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished rom 5 pm to 11 pm. Fished Angels Creek 1st throwing top water & jerk baits with no results so ater an hour started split shotting 4" green weenies & purple ghost worms boating several dink spots & red eyes. Moved to Bear Creek resulting in a couple o hits but no ish boated. Headed to Coyote Creek where we picked up a couple more dinks split shotting and cranking a craw pattern. About an hour ater dark my partner igured out the pattern and we boated six keepers rom 12 inches to 2 lbs.. Four were spots and the two biggest were blacks.
      City: Delhi

      Tips: Find the bait balls which we ound in 15' to 20' o water o o points and then drop shot 4" worms and reepers.

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 72-74

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Art Belanger and I took a amily o our out to learn how to ish. Saw enormous numbers o ish on depth inders between 20-35 eet but it was diicult to get them to bite. Nothing on top water or ripbaits although there were many ollowers. Caught 1 ish on a spinnerbait and 1 on a crankbait. All the rest o our ish came on plastics. Some wacky rigged 9J Senko, a couple on dart head cuttail worm and quite a ew on dropshot rigs. Productive colors were Yamamoto's cuttails in Purple with black lake and Smoke Blue Pearl. Also caught two on Aaron's Magic 6" worms. Had at least 30 bites but the kids had trouble setting the hook so we only managed about 12 in the boat...one over the slot, several in the slot and a bunch o smaller ish.
      City: Fair Oaks

      Tips: With rapidly dropping water, ish seem to be holding in deeper water or oshore in the top 10' o the water column.

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 78

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched in the dark, motored to the mouth o Squaw creek throwing top water and ripping. Got one small keeper in two eet o water rom the popper. Started throwing the jig on rock piles and got a ew clones, no size. Got my best, (3 lbs.) drop shotting in 20', the MGM, Aarons magic, 3 1/2" worm.
      City: Redding/S.F.

      Tips: slow, prolly because o the storm ront that went through a couple days prior. Lake was quiet, but not this coming weekend,,,,stay home!!!!!

Friday, August 22nd, 2003

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: We all did loat tube jousting and poped all our loat tubes and sunk to the bottom o the lake !!!!!!Help me:-)Peace,C.B.
      City: P

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 73/75

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: FISHED DISAPOINTMENT,14 MILE,BISHOP,MOUISER AND RIO BLANCO CUT.WOW RAIN AND LIGHTEN WAS WILD TO SAY THE LEAST. BUT FISHING WAS GOOD AFTER 7:00AM. 32 FISH TOTAL,BIG FISH ABOUT 4.5LBS. SMALL ABOUT SENKO SIZE.USED SENKO,SMALL BRUSHOG,RING WORM,SWEET BEAVER.STAYED UNTIL DARK FOR TOPWATR. BITE CLOSE TO RAMP AT PARIDISE BEST FISH OF THE DAY CAME ON BUZZBAIT.HAD MY SHOES BLOWN OFF WITH THE HITS WE HAD. 14HOUR DAY FISHING.I WISH WORK WENT BY THIS FAST.
      City: MODESTO

      Tips: FOUND FISH DURING HEAT OF DAY IN DEEPER WATER AND SHADE. MOST IMPORTANT HAVE FUN.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: BENEFIT TOURNAMENT TOMORROW AUGUST 23 AT B&W RESORT....or a member o Elk Grove Bass who's house caught ire....$100.00 per boat, 2 person max, 50% o the proceeds goes to the amily o the ire and 50% will be split, 70% or the boat with the heaviest weight and 30% or "Big Fish". Elk grove Bass would like to thank NCBF or their orum and B&W Resort or their participation......see you at dawn, just show up and sign up.......cash only....thanks
      City: Carmichael

    • By

      Water Temp: 77-80

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: My neighbor John Green and I arrived beore daylight riday morning hoping or a good mornings ishing. We ished poppers-nada,we ished buzzbaits-nada,we tried spinnerbaits,rattle-traps,shallow running crankbaits-all produced zero! Looks like the nice cool weather we were enjoying screwed the ishys up good. I hated to go to darters so early in the morning-that is till I elt a little resistance.....bang-ish on! Well I managed one more little guy on a jig lipping timber and I also lost a very respectable ish in the 5-6lb range in the NEAR vicinity o the ramp when she decided to jump and throw my darter at me as i to say "No thanks"! We let around 10am with only 2 dinks to show or it but we had a beautiul morning on the lake and only had to share the lake with 2 other boats ishing and one skiing.Tight lines to ya!
      City: Chowchilla

      Tips: It'll take a ew days or the ish to get back on track once the weather settles-I mysel have the best luck on 1/8 oz Darter heads with Buddy Baits/Roboworm/etc type plastics.Fish slow and keep the bait right on the bottom-bites are spongy to say the least,most o the time all you will eel is a slight resistance on the end o your line-reel down and set the hook! I also have had my best luck with dark colors-Buddy Baits 142,157,etc.

Thursday, August 21st, 2003

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 71.5

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Disappointment this date but got a late start, about 7 AM. Sprinkled on in the aternoon but not bad. Wind was the main problem. We still managed 21 ish or the day. A lot o dinks, several in the 3 + lb range and then topped o with my personal best in the Delta - 7.4 Lb. Most ish were on Senkos, black with purple lake, a ew on cranks and Blades, and the big one was on a Berkeley Power Zipper, pumpkin with chartruse tail. All in a all, a geat day or me.
      City: Davis

    • By

      Water Temp: 79

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Took my son to New Hogan last riday to see i we could get into some boiling stripers. I thought my son would get a kick out o seeing the striper thrashing on the surace and even better, to catch one. We did mangage to pick up three striper 16 to 18 inches when we got right in the middle o a boil by the campgrounds. It was right beore sunset and they must have stayed up at least 5 minutes. Thats the longest I'd ever experienced. They hit shad color curly grubs and a zara puppy. The sun went down as we anchored by Deer Flat to ish or the night. Used and underwater light and suspended our anchovies and shad at about 35 eet and ended up getting ten striper to 8 lbs. Nothing huge but hopeully will get better as the water cools. I've never ished there during the all and winter so I don't know what to expect.
      City: Manteca

      Tips: Have been inding small shad, 1 1/2 to 2 inches in their bellies, so keep that in mind when selecting your lure size.

Wednesday, August 20th, 2003

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Temp: 78

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Maybe ater this report, Ken will giving me a call, har!! Anyway, my best ishing buddy Rick Tietz and I teamed up to try our usual assault on Lake Amador - hoping or some quality bass in spite o a 10 degree drop in temp rom the day beore. When we started at 5 pm the delta breeze was howling but we ound that we could still ish deep structure. We caught six bass beore dark and none were under 3 pounds. Rick caught the biggest on an 11 inch Gator tail - a 5 1/2 pounder. I was using brown/orange Weapon jigs with a Madman craw trailer. They were really on a good jig bite! All my 5 bass were rom 3 to nearly 4 pounds. Unusual not to catch a small bass or two even when trying or larger ones. The bass were not active on the surace because o the wind so we didn't try topwater. Ater dark it really was slow. Rick got a small one on a topwater lure and I cranked a 4 pound catish and a keeper bass. About 1:30 am, I was using the new Berkely "Gulp" Turtle Back 10" worm (black) that I had so much success with last week at Clear Lake. Talk about a gulp - this bass nailed it hard in 30 eet o water! I set and it pulled out my "locked" drag with my 30# test Fireline. I told Rick not to worry about the net - it HAD to be a catish. Luckly he was ready anyway as 7 pounds o bass hit the net! Wow, that was worth the drive!! Things started picking up as the night got cooler and damp. Usually the ish shut o in those conditions. We caught several more towards dawn with Rick getting his big one o the night at 6 1/2 pounds. Our good eeling about the trip went sour or awhile as Rick hooked a monster dragging the 11" worm in the submerged timber. He brought a 10 to 12 pound bass near the boat but lost it. What a bummer!!! We ished the irst hour o light which this time did not produce much. I tried some topwater but the bass were chasing shad up rom deep water and would go right back down and so, were not willing to hit a topwater lure. We wound up with 17 bass and one catish. We had a good limit in spite o losing the monster - 5 bass or 26 1/4 pounds - a good night at my avorite lake!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Rick and I were quite concerned about three bass that appeared to have some kind o problem with one side o their body near the tail. Scales were coming o and their body had some bloody areas. We had never seen that beore. Hope it is nothing serious. We spent hal o our time casting and the other hal dragging in deep water. We ound most o the quality ish below 25 eet, away rom the weeds, on various o-shore structure that has some rock and wood. It takes lots o years to learn these areas and they sometimes pay o in tough conditions. The worms seemed to work better at night and the jigs were best during daylight. Lots o Smelly Jelly (crawish salt) seems to help. We noticed that when we worked a point rom a dierent direction the bite was better - probably because o wind currents.

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 82

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Disapointment and Headreach with a buddy rom 0600 to 1130. Pretty decent day with a dozen or so keepers and the usual sub-legals mixed in. Lost the biggest bass I've hooked in the delta so ar right at the boat. 5 or 6 pounds I'm guessing. Got all my ish on Senkos in dark colors. There is a ton to learn out there. I only started doing this a ew months ago ater 12 years with nothing but a lyrod in my hand. I've been missing out.
      City: Stockton

      Tips: Fish hard and oten. We ished an outgoing tide and got our ish in constricted current and on the outside o weed lines as the water ell.

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: warm

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Did pretty well here last year on Bass and Big Crappie, but damn!!! can't get bit now!!! I know they're in there . I've just been unsuccessul at getting them to bite!!! Water is high and extremely clear. GOOD LUCK!!!
      City: San Jose

      Tips: I SUCK!!!

    • By

      Water Temp: warm

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Did pretty well here last year on Bass and Big Crappie, but damn!!! can't get bit now!!! I know they're in there . I've just been unsuccessul at getting them to bite!!! Water is high and extremely clear. GOOD LUCK!!!
      City: San Jose

      Tips: I SUCK!!!

Tuesday, August 19th, 2003

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Don, Thanks or keeping this project rollin'. I went with you and Jon to one o the hearings last year, and helped with the planting and I am glad you are keeping this going. I am looking orward to it again this year. THANKS!! -Joe
      City: San Leandro

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 79.7-80.6

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: let town at 0330 at 77 degrees, got in at Jones Valley at 0412 at 71 degrees, lake down past 46 t, went over in to Cowpasture Cove and got bit on the irst cast by a 2 lber, moved eat down the bank and in between the humps and caught 6 more between 0430 and 0530, all on jigs and everything came to a halt at 0545. tried top water, worms and cranks and not a touch till 645am when I missed 3 in Fort Creek, all three hit short and ripped the tails o my grubs. Very little boat traic, 2 on the ramp when I arrived and only one more ater I pulled out at 0715 to go clean up the boat. 75 degrees coming out, 106 yesterday and on its way to 102 today. the lake is getting into the mid-80's during the day and that is killing the bite. Can't wait or mid-October, will have to stick with the late evening stu rom here on out.
      City: Redding

Monday, August 18th, 2003

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Temp: 80

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Started ishing about 7:30pm without many takers. Decided to have dinner and try when the moon came out. Andrew caught a nice 2 pounder on a shad spinner bait up in Jackson around 11:30pm. ater that is was quiet until I hooked up with a nice bass near the dam on the boat dock end. Unortunatly I did not remove the clear plastic protector rom a brand new spinner bait rom Bass Pro Shops and at the boat he got o. Andrew swears it was the 6 pounder I have been looking or to break the 5 pound barrier I have been in. Monday morning we ished again with no luck, lots o ish near the dam busting the surace ater shad, but no takers or anything we tried. Maybe its time to call Larry or a trip and learn how to ish this lake!!
      City: South Lake Tahoe

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: ????

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished our local club tourney Saturday night and boy, I orgot how long that night can be (or should I say how long the next day can be). Had a great partner who ended up "schooling" me on the iner points o dropshoting at night so that was a plus. We started out in Lakeport throwing topwater and missed a couple o big ish just beore dark. How a 6+ bass can knock a lure loaded with laser sharp hooks 5 eet in the air and not get hooked when I end up with all 3 buried in my hand just opening the box still amazes me! When the rustration got to us, we broke out the dropshot rigs and put 4 in the boat on 4" worms beore it got dark but nothing over 2 lbs. We then headed or our avorite rock point and spent the rest o the night trying not to donate too much to the "terminal tackle gods" and actually caught enough ish to keep us awake all night. While I was throwing big worms and creature baits and catching ish that were smaller than my bait, my partner was dropshoting 4 and 6" worms and wearing me out with the net(which broke around 10:00 pm just to make the night more exiting). I did hook a good ish on a black blade but had to duck as 1 14 ounces o Ledgebuster went lying by my head about 3:00 am. It was a great night weather wise with shorts and shirtsleeves the norm until 4:00 am. The ish seemed to be pretty shallow, most came in less than 8 eet o water with my blade ish hitting in about 3 eet. We ended up at long tule point at daybreak and I redeemed my sel-esteem with a 3 12 on a buzzbait. We ended up winning the tourney with just over 16 lbs but it wasn't hot by any means. By the way, Lunker Larry was right, BUGS BUGS and more BUGS.
      City: Ukiah

      Tips: Beore dark, topwater and dropshot did o.k. though the topwater ish didn't seem to be biting as much as just slapping it. Ater dark the ish seemed to move up once the bright moon got overhead. Dropshot bigger proile plastics seemed to do the trick that night anyway. We did hear a ew carp rolling (Larry) but nothing like we have seen in the past when the bite was great.