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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Sunday, December 1st, 2002

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: A client and I started ishing the lake Friday about an hour beore dark. In less than an hour we had our in the boat - using jigs - with the biggest at 4 lb 13 oz. We were ishing rocky areas along the hwy 20 side. Ater dark we worked our way to the south end o the lake and ound a lot o biters, but not too many swallowers! We had short strikes rom small bass to be sure, but I think some were rom quality bass that just wern't very hungry. Worms seemed to produce bites better than jigs ater dark. The best ater dark bass was a 3 1/2 pounder and a hot 5 lb 1 oz bass that took a 6 inch zipper worm. We landed a total o 10 bass with the ive biggest about 16 1/4 lbs. I'm not very proud o that, but I elt we did well since the bass just arn't eeding much at night as in previous years. In addition to the trophy bass population decline, the baitish explosion has caused the bass and catish to eed heavily during the day and I guess they are just too tired and stued to do much at night. It will be interesting to see i that changes soon, as the water temp is about 5 degrees above normal or Dec 1st. I will be there to ind out. Stay tuned!!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: The baitish seem to be heading or deeper water, at least at night. I even saw some schools on the meter that were right on the bottom o the lake. The carp were rolling good most o the night and the bass seemed to be active but not aggressive. None o our hits were the normal all smashing jerks. The weather was cold but stable - I really thought we would do better. I really think there will be a period where the night bite will turn on, but the water temp has to cool o a ew degrees. All o our ish came on rocky areas with a good dropo.

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: ishing tournament turkey shoot that scott schambre put on worth about $200 we thought we had a really good chance o winning this one. it was the irst major storm o the year it was a really rainy saturday morning. there was 25 boats at this tournament we werent sure i we should cancell the tournament or not because o the weather is good or not. then the men o all men larry newby the owner o newbass ishing tournaments came up and said some words to all o us that made us go out on the lake we couldnt resist the thought o gettn put in the dust by larry. we all decided to go out any ways and catch some ish. we got out to our avorite spot on browns and the third cast or the both o us we got a ish my uncle said chris get the net and i couldnt cause i had a ish on it was a nice 5.2lb spot and when i got it closer up to the boat i noticed that the crankbait i was throwing(bomber red craw)had two ish on it at once the other ish on the lure was probroly a 6 lb largemouth. it bent the hook on the bait straight. it came o and really made me mad. we ended up takn third out o 25 boats and we had a total weight o 15.0 and the winner had a weight o 15.4 and the second place had a weight o 15.2
      City: orangevale

      Tips: bomber red crawish deep diving crankbait

    • By

      Water Temp: cool

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: trolled the lake or trout. the irst time being on the lake.caught a limit o 5.2 large 3 small nice place to spend a quiet day with out spending a lot o time driving.
      City: remont

      Tips: started planting again.used rainbow runner neddle ish, real image minnow.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 57-60

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The Cottonwood Bass Team annual Team Tournament is this coming Saturday, Dec 7th at Bridge Bay, check in starts at 0330, $150 per team, winners get $100 per pound and big ish gets $100 per pound, 2nd place and on gets $50 per pound. Great rale prizes oered or the rale ticket buyers, the lake is near 91 t down, water is clear and a good bite is on with some big ish being caught daily, the hirz bay ramp is out o the water and no loat, centimudi is one lane and muddy, suagarloa is in great condition, packers is good with some hardpan in one lane, Jones Valley is on the temp ramp and in excellent condition with beach parking at the water line. Bailey cove is out o the water as is the antlers public ramp.
      City: Redding

Saturday, November 30th, 2002

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at Paradise Point beore light on Saturday and proceeded to Whites. Two good topwater ish ( 2.8lb and 4.8lb) beore low tide. Could not get a Senko bite going and no luck on traps either. Two good ish still makes a good day.
      City: Folsom

      Tips: The big ish was between the weedline and the bank just prior to low tide.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out ishing,Friday only one ish and it was very small seems like this lake is really hard to ish .Maybe someone can tell me what to use this time o year where are all the ish at are they deep our shallow tips would help thanks
      City: Antioch

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 58

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went with Doug Watson today. Got to the lake at 7:30 but the used batteries he put in his new Aries Bass Boat were dead, so ater going to Wal Mart or new ones, we got started about 10.Caught some real nice spots up to 4 1/2 lbs. shaking shad leeches on dart heads, spooning and shaking green/craw 6" worms in 24 to 35 t. on main body points and ledges.
      City: Savcramento

    • By

      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out this aternoon and threw a rattletrap or awhile and nothing happening. Switched over to the jig(1/2oz Weapon-blk,blu,purple with a brown piece o senior Super Pork)and caught three good ish. The irst ish(6lbs) was caught way in the back o a point with rock in about ten eet o water. I cast out deep and slowly worked it back up the hill. Then on my way back I caught two more at the dam. Both ish about three pounds each according to scale. All ish had ull bellys and big. I couldn't believe the big one only weighed 6lbs because he was huge. I'll take it because it was looking really bad until I switched to the jig.
      City: Petaluma

      Tips: The ish were not in chase mode today, so you gotta slow it down big time. Cannot beat a jig this time o year. Fish it slow and make sure you're banging into rock. No rock, no ish. All ish came o points. All you need out there is a jig now. The number o ish might be down, but the size is deinitely gonna increase. Big brushhog might work also. I you want numbers ish the dropshot setup. Think sloooooowwwwwwwwww and you will catch ish.

Friday, November 29th, 2002

  • Santa Clara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 56-58

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Calero rom 9am to 2pm rom my boat. Got two ish on a black 3in. sigle tailed grub with a jighead early in the day. The irst one was 3 1/2 pounds and the other one was under a pound. I also lost one using a watermelon colored hula grub. Fishing seemed slow, talked to a ew other boats and no one else was catching anything.
      City: Morgan Hill

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: UNKNOWN

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I AM IN A SMALL ALUM. BOAT. THEREFORE, I AM LIMITED ON HOW FAR I TRAVEL. USUALLY I FISH TO THE BACK OF LADDS FROM THE LAUNCH. ON AN AVERAGE DAY I CATCH 5-7 FISH, USUALLY 2 TO 3 LBS. SOMETIMES I GET A 4,5LB. FRIDAY WHEN I STARTED AT DARK I COULDNT GET A BIT. TIDE WAS LOW. I FISHED THE CHANNEL OUT TO THE MAIN. I WENT BEHIND 6-7 BOATS. I CAUGHT 2 BLACKS OFF THE EDGE IN 3-4FT.2-10,2-11. I LOST A FEW AROUND 1LB THE INLET. CAUGHT 2 SOUTH OF STOCKTON YATCH CLUB 1-8,1-11. ONLY THING THAT WORKED FOR ME WAS A WATERMELON W/BLACK FLAKE TUBE ON A DART HEAD. WISH I COULD RUN AROUND LIKE THE BIG BOATS DO. ANYONE HAVE ADVISE FOR A GUY LIMITED TO A 13 FT. ALUM BOAT?
      City: modesto

      Tips: WATERMELON/BLK FLAKE TUBE 1/8 OZ

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I had a Striper explode 5 times on a Frenzy Walker (spook type topwater) around 8am in Big Break. No hook up, though. Made a run over to Franks Tract, there were a bunch o boats ishing current, but no one was having much success. Then ran back to the Break, and later to Sherman, but only saw a couple undersize Stripers landed by bait isherman. Around two, my ishing partner got a nice 25" 5lb 5oz Striper on a 1/2 Rat-L-Trap inside the Break, and caught another undersize ish on the Trap, that was al te action we had or the day, though.
      City: Clayton

      Tips: Talked to a ew other bass boat guys, one was ishing a 1/2oz jig-n-pig with little success. Saw other guys pitching small worms. I'd try casting Rat-l-Traps around moving water while covering a lot o water. Good luck.

    • By

      Water Temp: 52 to 53

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Minor, Cache, and Shag sloughs or Blacks and Stripers. Caught a 10+ pounder------- Carp, that is!!!!! Would you believe he hit a Rattletrap and I did not snag him?????? Only got three blacks with the largest being about 3 1/2 Lb, and a couple o striper shakers. Couldn't ind any concentrations o stripers and did not see any birds eeding. Whats Up? I think we need more rain!!!!!!
      City: Davis

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: My dad and I went trolling or trout and Kokanee today. ater some boat problems got into the water at 1:25 pm. at Oakbottm, trolled up near where 299 curves towards the powerhouse with no bites, trolled back out in ront o oakbottom marina. Caught 1 rainbow on a koke-a-nut, then my dad caught a kokanee on the same setup. Hooked one more Bow that was 1.7 lbs, on a blue and chrome cripplure. All ish were caught top lining. Between 4:30 and 5:15 pm.
      City: redding

      Tips: in ront o oakbottom, koke-a-nuts behind a sling blade dodger, also a cripplure with no weight or dodger.

Thursday, November 28th, 2002

  • Plumas County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Tony, just saw your post, i you are still looking or contact o Great Basin Bassers(Reno NV) I can not remember the name, but you can contact them via "The Gilly" on N. Rock st. Sparks, NV
      City: susanville

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 53

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out Thanksgiving morning at Whiskey Slough or our annual amily ishing derby. Fog was so thick you could barely see the end o my 15t boat rom the tiller. We trolled mainly rattle traps, but caught nothing o size. Found are way back rom Mildred's and tried an orange crankbait to see i there was anything near the docks and low and behold a 30lb King hit it like a ton o bricks. I never even new that Salmon made it up there, but it made me the winner so I'll take it. 8 isherman in 3 boats took home 6 striped biggest 5lb 2 steelies biggest 24in and 1 big ole salmon.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: I you are marking ish heavy but they aren't biting striper baits, try anything orange, rattle traps, crankbaits, etc. The Steelies hit those things like a ton o bricks.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Decent day, looks like the Delta may inally be turning over into winter. Caught about 12-13 ish, limit o blacks or about 12lbs, and a ew stripers as well. Didnt get to ish water I wanted to, due to the og, but ound some new water, and new ish. Blacks were caught on mini brush hogs in rocks. Stripers caught jiggins spoons. Good luck guys. Goin out tomorrow, I'll let ya know how I do.
      City: Vacaville

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: Upper 50's ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Well buddies, those big ol' drag rippin' kitties are back in ull orce at Clear Lk. again !!! Just like last year.... maybe even better ! (i that even sounds possible) As I was driving down Konocti Rd. towards the marina, I looked over to my right and I was thrilled to see that the whole back o Konocti bay (between Frasier and Wheeler points) was slam ull o Pelicans ! I stopped to take a ew pictures, and I chose my starting point right then and there (a spot I had never ished beore) based on where the birds were thickest. I got o to a really late start (about 9:45 am). Made my irst cast with rozen Shad that I had bought rom the bait store. Then started to rig my other pole..... but that never happened, as... Tick.... my irst line starts going... Wham ! Fish on ! Fought great but was only a baby at 9.0 lbs. So ater that, I bait up again and make another cast. I start to rig the other rod and ... Tick.... there goes my line again... Wham ! Fish on... it goes 12.1. Next cast produces a 12.6. To make a long story short, it was almost impossible to ish with two poles or most o the day, as the ish were just jumping on too ast ! Only lost two ish all day on the micro-light...... One got me around a cable, and one ran all the way through a huge mat o weeds. Saw them both though and they were not 20's anyway. Also, I ished the one spot I had chose rom up at the road, all day..... I was thinking, where could I move to to make it any better than "one ater another" ? Final count, 31 Channel cats or 474.5 lbs (15.3 lb average) (when you see my score sheet, that 16.0 on the second row is actually a 16.9... I can't read my own writing :-) and two White cats o about 5 and 6 lbs (nice size or White cats). Honestly, I think i I would have started at 7 am, I could have caught between 600 and 700 lbs ! .... but you might have had to carry me o the lake..... as I was so worn out rom ighting ish as it was, that it was tough just to make it home ! Bet ya'll eel sorry or me don't you :-)BTW, This beats every one o the awesome catish trips I had last year or total poundage in a single trip ! My previous best was 435 lbs. Oh..... and I didn't add my weights until back in the truck..... OR, I would have stayed or a couple more ish so I could beat my buddy Dee's all time high (Dee's total was the highest I have ever heard o rom anybody, o 500.2 lbs) That's OK, I'll pass him soon :-)The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and with the exception o one gooball who was out there skiing, and a couple day cruisers, the lake was basically void o traic...... Photos: http://www.trophybassonly.com/id99.htm What a great Thanksgiving day ! Certainly a lot to be thankul or, Peace, Fish PS, I almost orgot...... O course every one o these ish was released unharmed. I have nothing against sensable selective harvest o a ew smaller ish or eating purposes, but I think it would be absurd or any one person to remove several hundred lbs o these awesome sportish in a single trip ! It is also rediculous that the Ca DFG does nothing to protect these big cats.Oh..... and one more cool highlight...... The 18.5 lb'er put on one heck o a show ! It actually ran and did a long jump while hooked ! Never seen a catish do this ! Ater that it did some serious ighting halway out o the water too ! Sure wish I had that one on video......Thank you Lord or another awesome day on the water.
      City: Suisun

      Tips: Look or the birds to ind the Shad..... That is where the kitties will be. Use Shad or bait, as that is what they are eating. You can buy them, or you can catch them with a dipnet..... but they are hard to net on days with a clear blue sky as they tend to go a bit deeper.

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: 59

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Larry and I didn't start ishing untill about noon and I ound the bite even tougher than beore. With the Catch Cam, I was able to see that most o the ish on the depth inder were in act bass, some catish, but were still not interested in our oerings.Larry caught the irst ish drop shotting, then I caught and missed a couple shaking a green/craw worm.We did end up locating a school o spots that would hit duh spoons in very deep water, although some hit the spoon on the all pretty shallow.We caught about 10 ish here in the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 lb. class. I'll just have to go back and try to ind something better.
      City: Sacramento

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 55-58

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out with my son Tom. Had a great time. Went all the way up north and tried a rattle trap and a crank bait or two. Then we tried plastic (senkos). I got a hit and then Tom caught a great ish! It was a 4 lb. something? It looked like a huge rainbow, or even a salmon. It had a slight hookjaw and it never broke the surace on the great ight it gave (unlike a steelhead). It gave up it's lie unortunately, we could not release it. Ater I netted it it was bleading out o his gills badly. I tried to revive it in the livewell with no luck.We tried plastics, cranks, blades, etc. with no luck till late in the aternoon. Then I got a 2.8lb LMB on a white senko, it was wrapped on a tree under the surace (what's new at sonoma). It made a great photo beore release. Then I got a 2.3 on the same bait and Tommy closed the day woth a beautiul 2.5 on the same senko. The wind was almost non-existent and there were several boats on the lake all ishiing some trolling and most sounded like they were having a tough time. FYI- The sheri was checking licenses which I was happy to comply.
      City: Paciica

      Tips: White Senko's worked or us. Good size ish compared to last time I was here!all ish were caught on the main lake - the coves produced nada or us this time.

Wednesday, November 27th, 2002

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 55

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: i couldn't let my bro show me up so i caught a 9-2 on tuesday on a minnow under a bobber. ishing is great but did slow a bit ater sunday when the winds were halacious. sorry bro but i am now the house leader.
      City: rogue river

      Tips: minnows minnows minnows, be it under a bobber or split shot. go see bob at limit out bait and tackle he will put you into ish