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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2002

  • Yuba County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Finally got out this summer in my champion. The water was still warm, and the air must o been 80 dregrees, started ishing at 2pm. ished topwater in the shady areas near structure and ound the ish willing to bite,I must o put 10 or so in the boat in an hour and a hal and then ran out o time and places to ish close to the ramp, did catch one on a rainbow colored worm, but just like that topwater action to much
      City: the hills

      Tips: lake was empty, one other boat sking, still warm enough to swim

Tuesday, October 1st, 2002

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: dropping

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: What's a guy to do when his company re-organizes and shuts him out or the second time in 12 months? Find another company. First day o severance, and I went ishing. Back in the day you had to skip a shower and get to the unemployment oice irst thing. Today we do that on-line ater the boat gets put away. Some irst day- I could see out the window it was a tad breezy. I didn't know the lake would turn into the North Sea by noon. I got my bath trying to get back to Browns around 2pm. The action was spotty (pun intended)- around a dozen plus a keeper largemouth. Heads-up, the lake is now dropping rapidly. The eds are required to drain Folsom to make room or a Pinneaple Express- the phenomenon that gave us 3 100 year loods in 15 years. Do the Math. Started ripping on the main lake beore the gale started. Nothing except a monster trout or squawish that lurked rom the depths or a look at my Luckycrat. My buddy (ex) Blademan says get used to it- I'm going to see alot o these in my new home waters around Portland. I hit that rip bait on a rock. It became an expensive countdown Rapala. Did a little crankin too, nothing. Headed up the north searching or windsheltered water. Found some and connected on reaction and worms. Predictably, they were deeper and hitting soter. Best 5 might have gone 8lbs. Just want to give props to some local sticks that gutted it out in a local club. For Scott Singer, Mike Hara, and John Maes it was a dogight to the season's inish. Hara won 3 out o the last 4 events closing to within one point and tie breakers. John came out on top, and any one o these anglers could dominate next season. Also, Scott Hamman caught a 12lb toad in the club's TOC on the Delta. That's huge, and man, so was that ish.
      City: El Dorado Hills

      Tips: I spooled on 6lb Vanish and heavier darterheads in an eort to get deep. I held my breath on every hook-up. I Didn't exhale until I retied.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I really didn't know what to expect today as I drove to Bidwell with my three clients. The north wind was predicted to howl and we have just gone rom summer to all in a day or two. I was happy to see that the weather must have scared everyone away - we only saw one bass boat all day! The wind did blow the whole time but rom several dierent directions and actually didn't bother us too much. The lake being down 182 eet helps too. I decided we were going to Texas rig and split-shot small worms the whole trip, as well as try the jig bite. The jig bite had been o - and it still is! But the worm bite was on!!! The irst area we stopped (about 7:30 AM) in the main body got us 10 spotted bass - all tournament keepers - 5 over the slot! We were using 4" Berkley Pulse Worms and 6" Magic worms. We all caught ish too - one client with two 2 pounders! We would have caught more but the wind blew us o the spot. We ran to Canyon Creek but the wind was unbearable, so we made the run to the middle ork - usually a sae haven during a north wind. We caught a ew around the potty coves - the structure is wonderul when the lake is this low. I love it!! The ish took a break or awhile, but rom about 10:30 to 2:30 the action was nonstop (almost). We actually caught the biggest spots around 1 PM, with one o my clients landing a 2-9 spot - biggest o the trip. Our ive biggest were between 9 1/2 and 10 pounds. We caught 41 total, and I am guessing that about 30 to 32 were tournament keepers. I think all really is here. Again, the morning dawn Magic worm was by ar the best color o the ones we used. I was going to throw some shad colored Hula grubs, but never got around to it. Some o the good ish were really shallow - like 5 eet. I think that is a result o the act that they didn't drop the lake over the weekend. That makes a dierence in a hurry. For three guys learning to properly worm ish, I don't think they will have any problem rom now on. A great day on the windy pond!!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: The talk about the skinny spotted bass in Oroville this year can now be put to rest. They are at and stued with shad!! We didn't do well on boulder structure. Hard pan bottom with isolated brush was the key. Many o the quality spots would hit the worm when we would deadstick (stop) it. The deepest ish we caught were only about 25 eet.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I've been doing good in the ront lakes lately with a another six pounder to prove it! jerk baits are the ticket and shaking worms!The ront lakes open up in all!Peace,C.B.
      City: Pleasanton

      Tips: Fish evry weed bed and wood!

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: lake conditions at present, don't go up to antlers or the public ramp as it is out o the water, sugarloa is in, hirz bay south is in but muddy, jones valley down to 1 lane, centmudi is ok but tough getting out with a small truck due to the slope, went up to Shastina today with the wie, I have never ished there and we decided to go have a look at the place, there is no WATER up there, the lake looks to be at least 50 t down and I don't think the deepest part is much more that 70t. Not a single ramp in the water, very depressing to see such a beautiul spot so dry, Stopped at a little BBQ joint in Weed on the main drag (highway 97) and had some good down home BBQ or a change, I still miss Flint's and Everett& Jones in Oakland. Shasta is at the 80 t mark and is not as ar down as last year this time. Pray or a wet winter.
      City: Redding

Monday, September 30th, 2002

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: ?????

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I'm back on ater a year. I inally got a computer o my now. Took the custom Valco boat "Bass Buster 1" to the down town area. I got a 20 hp Mercury on my 12 ooter and having a blast "setting the water on ire. Ha Ha!!!!" Did some worming and cranking along the deeper banks. Caught a ew bass to 2 lbs. each until I can locate a school o stripers. Had a blast with top water, ratltraps and white tube jigs. 20" was the biggest striper o the day. Then I made the run to 14 mile slough and worked the back areas. I've been having alot o un there this season. Buzzbaits was the hottest ticket this. Can't wait or Fall turnover to kick into ull gear. I'm just waiting or wind to die down this week o Oct.2nd. I plan on giving regular reports again now that I am back on line. So listen up. There are still some honest bassers still out here. I enjoyed watching the seminars and the blast o o the big rog tournament back in August. Next year I want to ish the i anybody looking or a partner. In November I will be up at Lake Oroville or the Yamamoto Open, right now as a spectator, but would like to compete i someone needs a partner. I number is still at Stockton Bass.com. Have un ishing out there and to meet with you on the water. Remember, look or the custom Valco "Bass Buster 1" I'll be happy to meet you and make new riends.
      City: Buckley Cove, Stockton

      Tips: The all turnover has not really started yet. A good chance getting that irst 10 pounder.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: What happened to all the "reporters" on Shadow Clis? Nice to see all the proanity deleted, but don't let that dissuade you rom letting all us less-experienced guys know what's happening! Anyone ished it recently with any success?
      City: Livermore

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 70-71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I ished a club tournament with the San Joaquin Bass rustlers on Sat/Sun 9-28/9-29, and pre-ished on the riday beore. It took a whole day to igure these ish out, as it was overall a tough bite, but we unlocked the secret to catching bass all day. Me and my partner caught limits on both day's. First we ound the most active bass under balls o shad, and we dropshoted mini gitzits clear/silver lake between 40-60 t. Tag end o dropshot was 2 t. hook up two gitzits on the same setup or better results. The winner o the tournament was dropshotting a pro worm 4 1/2 in. cinnamon/blue. 2nd. pl. was split shotting a plain green weenie 4 in. between 15-30 t. Fish steep banks with chunk rock. I you graph ish and they don't bite go ind some that are active and eeding and stay with them.
      City: Valley Springs

      Tips: I hope this report will help someone out.As I haven't seen to many reports being posted lately to help out a visiting angler.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: This was my irst time on Shasta in 6 or so years.It started out renzy ishing with top water ish busting all around the boat.Then it would stop or a little while then a renzy again.This went on or the irst two or so hours.Poppers did OK as well as well as cranks.The shad were about 1/2 the size o the popper.I should have brought my ly rod!The jig did not work or me,I threw it a lot probably too much.I then resulted to a 4 1/2'' worm with a chartruse tail.It won me a dollar or big ish o the day o 1.7lbs.Shasta is a very beautiul lake with black bears and such, but I can't wait to get back on my home water where 1.7 would not make the smallest o ive.We ended up with 30 spots hal or so o which were keepers.Oh I also cought ish on a {tiny}brush hog.
      City: Manteca

      Tips: Sutle top water early morning,very light line or longer casts.small plastics on darthead 15' to 20'

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 61 - 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: John and I went out to celebrate his quitting his job!John got the irst ish @ 10:10 on a Joe Divola special (oxblood hand pour) at Jimmy's point on the east side o the north end. Then we went to eel good rock (10:55) and got hit a good group o small LMB's John hit one on his lucky rattle trap and I got one on a 1/8 oz white spinner bait. Ten minutes later a double, same baits or each or us. Farther south I got another on a ire tiger shad rap and then one on a senko. This one made John crack up. It was a small 1+ LMB and he said "it is barely hooked want me to net it? just then I thought no I'll just lip it quickly over the SNAP! broke another one. Hey that's one reason you never go bass ishing with just one rod. Glad these things have a warranty!All in all a un day 4 ish in the boat each, plusa a couple "almost got it to the boats" no size to speak o. Wind ater 2:00 kind o sucked and we didn't land one ater that, not rom lack o eort.
      City: Paciica

      Tips: Throw it right in ront o them i you can ind them and they'll hit it. 8 ish caught on 6 dierent baits. Fish in both shallow structure and deeper water (15-30). As always all ish released although one rom the rattle trap had a pretty sore lip.

  • Calaveras County
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      Water Temp: 72 degrees

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Beautiul aternoon at black creek!!!Mild and overcast. Knocked 'em dead all evening and next morning using Small countdowns (black/silver and black/gold), Bassassasins, and live jumbos. Fish averaging 2lbs. Fall bassin' is in the air.
      City: modesto

      Tips: Fish are moving shallow ollowing baitish.good luk and have un.

Sunday, September 29th, 2002

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68-69

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: ished the hook tourney out o orwood marina on sunday and had one o the better days out on the water in recent memory. i or one love the new location or more than one reason one i know the south and middle delta a whole lot better than than north and west delta, and two i hated running across the break ( only have a 17 ooter ) i launch the nitro @ 545 and waited or take o we ended up number 36 which set us up or the second group with weigh in @ 315. we immediatly went or my buzzbait wall down south and we catching alot o dinks they were right on the bank probably no more than a oot and a hal rom shore, that bite slowed a bit and i knew we needed to get into some keeper ish. we pulled up the trolling motor and sped o to our next spot that we had planned to hit and it was a good spot or us we picked up several ish on a variety o baits senko mostly. then my partner hooks one and i can tell by the way he's ighting this ish that its a good one, i ask i its good he says yes and i'm on the net as quikly as i can. he gets it to the boat and its a solid 3 pounder. YES thats the kind o ish we needed. we continue down the bank and pick up several keeper ish in the 13 inch range, which is great cause we were still working on our limit, then it happened once again my partner sets the hook on a ish and it takes o towards deeper water, we both know its the one we've been waiting or. i jump o the trolling motor and pounce on the net. the ish then makes an attempt to jump but my partner does a great job o preventing it, it then swam over some shallow weeds and let us take a look at her it was a kicker my partner inched her closer to the boat and i get the net under her, just then she turns and alls halway out o the net i pin her along the side o the boat orce my thumb in her mouth and pull her in, the celebration was on. i cheered my partner cheered we threw her in the live well and we had to ocus on inishing out limit. caught several more ish and inally completed our limit. we needed to cull a ew little ones but the monkey was o our backs and we elt great. we were able to upgrade ish rom a 1.2 to a 1.4 pounder and then decided to move closer to the launching area. we headed to disco bay and couldn't cull another ish. we caught 35+- ish through out the day with big ish honors to my buddy scott ( good job bro )we weighed in a respectable 17+ POUNDS and was good enough to give us 3rd place o 79 boats 8-)
      City: san rancisco

      Tips: stick with whats working and keep ocused, kev i won't rub it in like you did

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 56-60

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: My partner Terry DeVincenzi and I ished the Western Bass Future Pro on Clear Lake. We heard the bite was tough with a lot o small ish being taken. So we made up our minds to just go out and have a good time, we never even went ull speed in the boat. We ished a small creek in the Southern end o the lake and went real slow. We lipped every little piece o cover completely. Terry started the day nicely by tagging a 6.3lber (continuing his streak o absolutely smoking me or big ish honors) on a Senko coreshot. We then got a couple o 3lbers on a splitshot in the middle o the creek and lipped another 2lber on a Senko. We ished our way out and near the mouth we got our last ish o the day (at 11:00am no less) a nice 3+ on a rog. We ished the docks around Konocti to try to ill our limit but could not catch any more keepers, we were bummed on the way in. We ended up with 5 (limit was 7) or 17lbs, the 6.3 was 3rd or big ish and 17lbs was enough or the victory. Thanks again to my partner or the consistent big ish production.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: I have only ished Clear Lake 3 times all in tournies. irst time I zeroed or 2 days. The last time (earlier this year) was a tourney win in the Future Pro, and this time. Go igure. Thank God or the posts and all the ino provided on how to ish this lake. Without it we would not have done as well I think.

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 71.4

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: lake is down to 79.6 t, water still murky especially in upper arms, shad are now more spread out in main body areas with no movement back into the coves yet, I have been catching ish(mostly dinks) o o rock with the MGM 109 4 inch being the best producer but unable to ind any sizable ish with the average running around a pound and a quarter, hot weather appears to be over and we have clouds moving in, especially in the morning, today was heavy overcast with no wind until 0830 when it came up out o the south to 10mph, jones valley ramp has about had it and down to one lane, it is easier to launch o the end o the hump in the dirt, as reported by Gene, my team partner,Bryce ruled the day on Friday with what appeared to be a 1.6. It has , however, been rumored that Susan caught the ish and gave it to him so he wouldn't eel so bad as Gene has been puting the whooping on him lately. Cooler weather should perk things up a bit. most my ish today came between 0830 and 0930 (8) with one at 7am and the last at 1030 am.
      City: Redding

      Tips: hands down, the MGM 109 4 and 6 inch is the top producer.

Saturday, September 28th, 2002

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: Unsure

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hmm, my biggest bass so ar on my irst cast o shore weighing almost a pound. It was a pretty good day to ish, cloudy. Caught a bunch o small ones just because I wanted to catch something. In the aternoon, we caught three trouts o kastmaster, eaching weighing a little more than a pound. I won't be ishing or awhile... I have to ocus on school. Have un.
      City: San Francisco

    • By

      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished rom 7:00AM to 11:00 AM. Caught 15 bass mostly 1.5 lb clones with a ew that were over 2 up to the largest and last ish o the day - 3 lbs. Started with top water and nothing. Another angler ound a top water bite as well as a spinner bait bite. My only luck came on drop shot 4" worm, hula grub, and a varity o carolina rigged plastics. These were the only baits I ished. Depth or all ish was 20-35t o rocky shoreline.
      City: Foster City

      Tips: Fish were biting steady all morning. Try dierent baits. Other isherman had luck on a variety o presentations. My conidence baits on this lake are pastics ished deep at this time o year.

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

      Report: in at 6:15 a.m. ishing in the Make a Wish tournament along with 11 other boats, not a very good turn out, I hope next year we have more boats as Make a Wish is a very special charity. Cottonwood Bass Club accounted or 5 o the 12 boats.Fishing with my good riend John Coyle o MGM Lures. John got the irst ish on a topwater lure and promptly hooked himsel in the index inger, ater I preormed a little minor surgery we ished the south bank o Eastork we caught several keeper ish but no ish over 2 lbs. Moved to the north bank and continued catching 12" to 13" ish.The winning boat had about 11.5 lbs. or the three ish limit, with the big ish a largemouth at 6.9 lbs. A wonderul day ishing with a good riend and enjoying the beautiul senery at Trinity lake. Although the ishing has slowed down, I expect it to pick-up again as the weather cools. All my clients who ish Trinity with me really love this lake.
      City: Redding

      Tips: most ish came in 20' to 30' o water on MGM 109 sot plastics

Friday, September 27th, 2002

    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I got out ater work today but a park ranger (who wanted to leave early on a Friday) kicked me o the water at 6:00! Only got about an hour in on the water. No ish but I'll get them next time!
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Get there early and don't try and stay late on a Friday!

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I met my very good ishin' buddy and hard workin' tackle rep Rick Tietz at Amador Thursday about 5:30 PM (he has to ish sometime!). We were going to try to beat the approaching cold ront and we did - or awhile. The delta breeze was coming up and the temp was slowing dropping as we started ishing. There was very little surace activity which was not surprising ater all the Sept. hot weather. We ished jigs and large worms beore dark on deep walls, points, and o-shore structure. Rick drew irst blood, which he oten does, with a eisty 6 1/4 bass which didn't look like it had been eeding well. Kind o skinny or Amador. Right ater dark, Rick breaks o a big bass - probably a nick in his line. I decided that it was going to be a worm bite, though I did catch my biggest o the night - 3-2 - on a Weapon Jig. We used 11 inch black gator-tail, black and black/chartreuse 10 inch Power, and 8 inch junebug Dead Ringer worms. Up until midnight the ishing was air with Rick adding a 4-9, 3-8 and 3 pound bass to our 5 ish limit o about 20 1/4 pounds. Obviously, he had the better night!! Fishing is oten very strange - the day beore I caught a 9 lb 7 oz bass at Clear Lake at 1:45 in the aternoon with nearly a hundred bass boats on the lake. Ater midnight, Rick and I were ishing Amador as our private lake - everyone had let. Sounds pretty exciting, right? Monster bass ready to bite!! Unortunately, weather trumps a good big bass bite and when the moist air moved in (boat seats and carpet all wet) the bite died and the dinks ruled. Other than one big ish bite I had about 12:30 AM, which I blew, all bass ater that were under 13 inches. We inally took a nap or three hours and tried in the early morning. One or two small bass was all we caught - it was dead. The weather was cool and oggy. The air temp had dropped about 35 degrees overnight. Overall, we were pleased - had a lot o un and did land a total o 17 bass. Not bad or a slow night.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Rick and I always keep our heads buried in our Lowrance X-15's. That is how you ish Amador. As we suspected, most o the bass were suspended and in an inactive mode - moreso as the evening wore on. The bass were really deep, mostly rom 25 to 45 eet deep. We really did ind the large bass - they just wouldn't bite.. It is always interesting to observe that when weather condition are poor, little bass eed a lot 'cause they know the big ones arn't!!! Thursday night was perect example o that - the colder the night temp got, the smaller the bass became. There is always next time!!

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out o B@W at 7am with the wind already blowing hard. Tried the S Mokelumne wihout any luck. Went up to Sycamore and ished the middle/ end. Not much luck but got a ew o the bank, one to 3.5 lbs on Senkos. No action o the islands. Then went down to the S Joaquin with a ew in the weeds shallow near the yacht club and across the river; could not get any bite o the rip rap. Finally about 6 pm decided to try Three River Reach and picked up 6 ish to 2-1/2 lbs in the last hour--several other hits too. We ended up with 14 ish or the day - biggest 3.5, and lots o other hits late. All the ish came on Senkos and all but one came on the light tan/clear with black lecks. I tried the traditional dark colors with little luck. No luck at all with crank, spinnerbait, rogs, or buzzbait. Hope it heats up a bit in October.

      Tips: Try the light tan/clear with black lake Senkos. I the wind is blowing hard, try split shotting it at 18 inches.