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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Sunday, November 3rd, 2002

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: dropping ast

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Lot's o bassing activity on the lake during the last ew days. This post may turn into the Zip Decker weekend round-up. Deal with it. Participated in a turkeyshoot out o Granite Bay Sunday, the same day the Western Bass Future Pro launched out o Brown's. The Future Pro was originally scheduled or Oroville, but lake levels are extrememly low there. So low, only one temporary dock placed over an old county road remains in operation as a ramp. It's located at the spillway. I've been anticipating a total change in the bite here, and between Friday an Sunday it seemed to take place. Yeah, I preished or a turkeyshoot- the humanity. Rumor had it Skeet Reese was going to participate, and he was bringing a ringer- Kent Brown. Had to step it up. On Friday I got three on main lake spots and a couple more up the north. I got ish to 3lbs on darterheads at 16 to 20 eet. Rumors were going around about ish being caught as deep as 50 eet on other techniques. My buddy Blademan went out on Saturday and he said he caught ish, but it was tough. He talked to a ew other anglers and it was tough or them as well. On Sunday he struggled with yet another problem with his Mercury engine. For Sunday I hooked up with Swimbait or a arewell outing (I'm still planning to relocate to the Portland area in December) Swimbait abhores tournament ishing, and the cluster at the launch ramp supported his eelings. 25 boats launched all at once intent on beating the Future Pros to the spots. There was only one dock and it was sinking, a bass boat loated away missing people, and a couple recreational ishermen that were let spinning with all the activity. First, we tried or any remaining reaction ish early on the main lake- ish not home. Then we ran to the area up past the narrows. Somebody moved our cheese. Had only two keepers by noon. Scratched out a limit in the Gardens splitshotting and the bag went about 6 something. Swimbait got a smallie just under 2lbs that ought harder than a 3lb spot. There were a several smallmouth brought in. The scale or the turkeyshoot weighed light. Kent Brown's bag weighed more than 10.95lbs. Skeet Reese was not his partner aterall. Made it to Brown's in time to see the bag brought in by the winners o Future Pro Classic. It was a limit o attys that went over 15lbs. Ironically, several spectators with tournament experience elt the scale weighed heavy or this event however. A team o a couple club buddies Jim Scarberry and Dick Moore took second place in this event and just missed winning a new Ranger. Props to you guys!
      City: El Dorado Hills

      Tips: The smallmouth showing up indicates the lake is turning, and conditions are changing rapidly.

Saturday, November 2nd, 2002

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Well the season is over but ishing ws great this year in the bay near Alameda. I landed over 40 striped bass ranging rom 2.5 to 14.4 pounds. Five over 12 pounds. Threw the majority o them back but kept the pounders. Most were caught on rattle-traps, some on broken backs, and a ew on bait. I know their not the mosters that are caught in the delta, but at least I did not have to drive 1 hour to get there. Oh ya, did I say I caught them all rom the shore...
      City: San Leandro

      Tips: Rattle traps in warmer water then to broken backs as water cools...

    • By

      Water Temp: 57

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished out o B&W, started a little late about 7am,ran to Whites. Had a couple o small ones real quick, on a Speedtrap, then nothing, caught one more ( best o the day) about 3lbs....Fished jigs,senkos--NOTHING....Probaly should have ran to the Break and stayed there......
      City: Napa

      Tips: Typical all reaction bite......

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Temp: 67

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished rom 0730 to 10:30. Caught 7 very nice large mouth and 1 smallie. All but one were caught on a grub along a drop where the water goes rom 10 t to 30 t deep. They hit along the ridge. Caught the 8th ish on a drop shot 4" worm. Largest ish was 3.5. Most were aroung 1.5 to 2lbs. Lots o trout ishing boats out and they seemed to be catching ish on power bait in 20 t o water or deeper.
      City: Foster City

      Tips: For bass ish sot plastics along the drop rom shallow to deep water. Use your electrons to igure out the best spots. Lots o suspended ish.

  • Merced County
    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Striper ished San Luis on 10-31-02.I got some bad inormation and didn't have a very good day, but the striper ishing is good right now.Fish are eeding on the surace down to 150 eet deep.Guys are catching stripers on minnows or cut bait in ront o the pumps o the dam ace in 100-150 eet o water. They are ishing right on the bottom and there is atleast 50 boats in the area all the time.When I was getting ready to leave I talked to some guys who caught a hal dozen stripers to 13 pounds o Zara Spooks ishing in two eet o water. The gate opens at six A.M. and closes at dusk.$2.00 entry ee. I you show up at 6:30 you may have to wait or awhile to launch your boat.I am going back 11-03-02 or redemption.I am going to slay these "Striped Mules" on Rattlin Zara's.The guy I talked to who was using Zara's said he went Peacock Bass Fishing in South America and these stripers hit and ought just as hard as the peacock bass did.
      City: Modesto

      Tips: Fish "Flat" type areas and cast right next to the bank and work your lure straight out.Fish Portugese cove.

Friday, November 1st, 2002

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Temp: unknown

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Took the day o and went ishing with my almost-10-year-old son. Up to this point, ishing is about as much as we'd mastered. That catching thing seemed terribly elusive. But today that changed. Drove to Del Valle reservoir, near Livermore, and rented a small motorboat to cruise the lake and try our hand at trolling. Seems a bit strange, cruising along at a walking pace, hoping something gets interested in whatever you're dragging behind. Kinda boring, too. Ater a bit I spotted a small cove where I igured, i I were a ish, I might hang out there (I'd also noticed that some rather experienced-looking anglers were spending time in other inlets). Took about ive minutes and my son was claiming he had a ish on the line. I, o course, was certain that he'd snagged it on a rock, but then there was this thing where the reel was spinning backward against something, and it wasn't because the boat was driting. Dang, my worst nightmare, he'd hooked a real ish! Turned out to be about a 14", maybe 4lb largemouth bass, way bigger than anything I'd expected to see. The not-so-un part was the amount o time it took to remove the hook rom its mouth, long enough that I had to warn him that we might not be able to release it.Eventually I got the ish ree, and my son was one proud kid. Well, no, he now calls himsel an Angler.
      City: Redwood City

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: ????????

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out o Granite Bay. Bring your M16 with you. you are going to have to do combat with the trout ishermen to put you're boat in the water. They started planting trout there 2 weeks ago. Anyway started out about 9:30. ished the Hazards just outside the bay with no luck. Moved around Brown's and my buddy got a 2.0 smallmouth dragging a 6" worm. went over to dike 8 dragging a babysenko and I got a 1.5 smallmouth and my buddy picked up 1.5 & 1.2 Spots on a robo worm and a reaper.O the water by 2:30. Not the greatest day but still better then my best day at work!
      City: Citrus Heights

      Tips: Fish slow and cover a lot o water ish are still scattered.

Thursday, October 31st, 2002

  • Plumas County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I AM LOOKING TO TALK TO THE INDIVIDUAL(S) WHO RUN GREAT BASIN BASS CLUB OUT OF RENO. PLEASE CONTACT ME @ 530-243-7348 OR THE E-MAIL ADDRESS ABOVE. THIS IS ABOUT TOURNEY YOU PUT ON IN MAY. THANKS, TONY.
      City: redding

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: 10+# Bass caught 6 weeks ago. Looking or the guy who took the picture. 2 miles rom Del's. Please e-mail me would love a picture. kevinhallxx@attbi.com
      City: Livermore

      Tips: worms and crank baits

    • By

      Water Temp: 58

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the 14 mile slough area rom 7a to 11a. Caught several stripers up to 3 lbs. throwing white Speed Traps. Ten keeper blacks up to 3 lbs. on watermelon Senkos along w/several dinks. Fished low to in-coming tide.
      City: Delhi

      Tips: Crank rip rap and open areas or stripers. Pitch senkos outside weed and tule lines.

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Ladies and Gentleman- B.A.S.S. Federation Region 5 schedule and entry orms are out. Find them at Phil's Prop, Berry's Barber Shop on Churn creek rd, or www.caliorniabass.org. First tourney is May 4th, 2003. These tournaments will be "modiied" opens. Anyone wishing to ish will be allowed. You do not need to be ailiated or belong to a club. However, anglers that are ailiated and meet criterium will accrue points towards the state tourney. Every angler is gauranteed his/her own boat. Non-boaters are not required but I encourage anglers to ind one.Any questions please eel ree to contact me at the e-mail address above or phone me at 243-7348. Hope to see you all on the water- Tony
      City: redding

Tuesday, October 29th, 2002

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Two riends and I went out on 10/27/02 and ished mostly docks in between Baylis point and Rocky point. We ished rom around 12:00pm-4:30pm. We ended up catching 11 ish, a 1.5lb and a 3.8lb with #240 Senkos, and a nice 4.2lb with a #51 Senko, the rest were under a pound. We also tried dead ringers and rogs, but had no luck.
      City: Petaluma

      Tips: Don't twist your worm........and when all else ails throw a Senko

    • By

      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Well, irst o all...I've gotta just mention a couple o reports or days I ished Contra Loma beore this. I made it to Caliornia on Thursday, 10-24-02. That evening, I went and walked around the lake with the girlriend just to check out what the lake was like so I would know what to bring out when I actually had time to ish. We were there or about an hour in the evening and I noticed that there were a lot o ish jumping and eeding. It seemed like 75% o them were bass that appeared to be chasing baitish around weedbeds. The others that were jumping were just trout. So, I igured that the bass must be on their little all-time eeding binge beore winter. On Saturday morning, my girlriend had cross country practice at Contra Loma, so I took the rods with me to ish or a bit while she ran. It was airly early in the morning and the sun wasn't up to high, so the bass were jumpin' around eedin' on the baitish close to the weeds still. I ished by the boat ramp, and started with a Rat-L-Trap to try burning it by and through various weedbeds that I could see where bass were jumping within casting distance. There was one small weedbed that I caught 5 bass o o with the Rat-L-Trap just ripping it through the weeds. All about 2-2.5lb ish. I tried a Pop-R and a Sammy to see i they'd raise to the topwater, but they wouldn't. Not sure why...they were jumping like mad eedin' on the baitish. I ished or about an hour and a hal and caught those 5 bass. Then, on Tuesday, 10-29-02, I was actually able to get out in the tube. I got out at around 9:45 A.M. This time I decided to try throwing a lucky crat pointer and try ripping that through the weeds and letting it suspend just above the weeds. This did even better than the Rat-L-Trap did. I started o by catching 4 bass all in the 2-3lb range within the irst 15 minutes. I was just working the cove that's to the east o the boat ramp. As I was working my way along the east o the boat ramp and started to make my way into the arthest east cove, I was letting the bait suspend there or about 10 seconds when it got slammed pretty good. I set the hook, and my line instantly broke. I elt the weight o the ish when I set the hook though, and I knew it had been a good ish and that I had at least gotten it into his lips pretty good. So I was hopping that maybe he would jump pretty soon trying to shake the pointer out o his mouth so I could possibly get it back. Well, I sat there or about a minute and a hal just scanning the water around me waiting or a ish to possibly break water with my pointer in its mouth. Soon enough about a 6lb largemouth came up out o the water shaking his head and I could clearly see my pointer right there in his upperlip. He ailed to shake it o though. d:o( I guess I had a rayed spot in my line or something...ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO CHECK YOUR LINE OFTEN GUYS! Eugh...it was disappointing. Anyways, I didn't have any other suspending jerkbaits with me, so I went back ot throwing the Rat-L-Trap and managed one more 2lber on that beore the sun got too high and they stopped eeding as actively. Oh ya, one other thing to mention, I was buring the Rat-L-Trap in the very back o the east cove on the inside line o a weedbed, when I had about a 4.5lb Rainbow Trout nail the Rat-L-Trap. That was un. Sure jumped like mad when I got it near the loat tube. Anyways, the sun got up too high and so I started throwing a t-rigged zipperworm. I began working my way back to the boat ramp, and stuck a couple o 2.5lb largemouths with the zipperworm on the edge o weedbeds. Just shaking the zipperworm and having it slowly crawl along the bottom worked best. Made my way to the cove that's just west o the boat ramp. In that cove, I stuck 2 more bass...a 2lber and a 3lber with the zipperworm. The 2lber was sitting underneath o an overhangingn tree, and the 3lber I caught in the very back o the cove when I pitched the zipperworm way back in the reeds onto a weedmat. Crawled the zipperworm o the weedmat, and he exploded on it. That was cool. Right ater that I got out o the water at about 1:00. So about 10 ish in a little over 3 hours. Now I'm back in Utah where it's a whoppin' 45 degrees or the high today. d:o(
      City: Antioch

  • Mariposa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished main lake points 20'+, split-shotting 4" brown worms. Slow, Slow, Slow. Boated about 10 ish with biggest going 2lbs.Got a couple o small keepers spooning rocks 30-40'. Try reaction bite in coves early and than move out to deep points and slow down when the sun hits the water.
      City: Turlock

      Tips: Slow!!! Ater sun up.

Monday, October 28th, 2002

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished riday 10/18 preishing or our club tournament. Had my best day ever on clear lake. Largest 7.5 lbs on a ire tiger speedtrap. Had two over 6 on salt and pepper grubs. These ish were on docks in deep water. Buzzed one o a rock pile 4.5 and had a 6 on a gitzit pitched to docks on rattlesnake. My irst over 30 lb limit. O course the day o the tournament I could only ind 2 over 13 inches with lots o small ones. Sunday decided to trow a rattletrap. Good idea. My partner and I each weighed a limit o small keepers. The only ones weighted in sunday. The rattletrap bite was still going on wed and thurs because I took my wie marian back to clear lake. I didn't catch anything over 4 lbs but lots o 2s. I you could get out o the wind you could still get some salt and pepper grub ish.Funny but the windier it got the better the rattletrap got. Tried a blade some and never got bit? Had a great 2 days one the lake with the wie. The winner in our bass club, bass classics was javier cruz who boated 4 ish in 2 days. They were dandies. Most o his good ish were on blades.
      City: orangevale

      Tips: Wind throw rattletraps. No wind throw salt and pepper 5 inch grubs to deep docks with wooden piers only.Hula grubs on rocky points 1/4 oz heads. Worms in natural colors. Buzz rock piles. Slow down and enjoy the big ones.

  • Tuolumne County
    • By

      Water Temp: 63 - 67

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished 10/24 and 10/25, on 10/25 caught about 25 to 30 ish between the 2 o us but all o them but 3 were dinks. Biggest ish was about 2.5 pounds. The only pattern we ound was rock but could not igure out a bait. We would catch a ish on a little bit o everything in the tackle box. on 10/25 it was real slow maybe 10 ish between the 2 o us.It was strange both days you would catch something on a particular bait/lure then not catch another one on the same bait/lure. Try something else then catch one ish then nothing. Went that way both days.
      City: Hayward

      Tips: No tip.

  • Sonoma County
    • By

      Water Temp: 64

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: arrived riday eveing camped at skunk or 2 nights, riday night caught 1 ish was over 3 lbs. sat caught 6 ish, the biggest was again around 4 lbs again, most o the bite occured between the hours o 3-6 in the aternoon, sunday let at 2 the bite was horrible, caught and released a 5 lb'r.over all was disapointed had been up the prevoius eww weekends and had been averaging about 9-10 ish a day.we saw many ish in the clear water there was hardly any traic, i think there were 3-4 other boats all weekend. they were just not biting ! used my avorites sinkos, my gal partner threw everything else at them with very little succcess.....i anyone one else goes up there oten give me shout :)
      City: DANVILLE

Sunday, October 27th, 2002

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Another striper trip today. Didn't do quite as well as yesterday, got 4 keepers and a LOAD o small ish. You gotta wait till they school up, or it's real slow. But when they come, they come in BIG numbers. 2-3 more weeks, and they'll be everywhere. Largemouth are hitting the rattle traps I was throwing or stipers. Could have caught 3 limits o blacks easy, but I took the guys out or stripers so we stuck with it.
      City: Vacaville

      Tips: Find the schools. Find the baitish. I you're not marking both in the same area, the bite will be tough. Don't bother ishing or suspended ish, they are all small, keep your baits on the bottom or near it.

    • By

      Water Temp: .

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out again today or stripers could not get on my same ish like last time they were not in there as thick as they were.Had maybe a 2-3lb striper on lost him,But the largemouth bass were out in ull orce.My partner began to pick up largemouth on a 1 ounce trap.The size was on the big side rom 2-5lbs no dinks,Ok day out there but had trouble with the stripers the water was great like glass out there and is really clear Fish on
      City: P-town

      Tips: This time o year I throw traps and troll,throwing rattle traps you can not go wrong stripers our largemouth will get um

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 62-65

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: This is or Mike Bugliarello o Orangevale.Read your report on your trip on 10/18/02.I would like to know how to get in touch withyour club.Send me an e-mail at old american@lanset.comThanks,Mike Boskovich
      City: Roseville

      Tips: none