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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Wednesday, April 30th, 2014

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 63 to 66 depend

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Amazing fish day for Dana and I. We fished a half day and just killed them, not really, released all as always. We managed 50 spots today with a handful of small mouth. Largest a nice 17 1/2", about 3 1/2 pounds. A couple 16", a couple 15" and many in the 13-14 1/2" range. It was like every cast had a hit, we also missed many fish. We were doing wacky rigs, and targeted all the suspended fish off points early, then worked deeper as the sun got higher. Brown or one might say, natural looking worms were the hot ticket today. Fish from 5 feet to 25 feet, most suspended fish in the 15-20 foot range. Awesome bite in the north fork. We only worked once small section of shoreline today, no running around. Fishing is in full swing right now.
      City: Magalia

      Tips: Anyone with a boat looking for a fish partner, let me know, lets go catch some spots. Email me at Jewelweaver@earthlink.net Fishing is hot right now.

Sunday, April 27th, 2014

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: What an amazing weekend!!!! Took my buddy Albert out on Saturday and hit some of my favorite spots. I noticed how low the water really is as we noticed rock formations and trees in areas we had not seen them before. Its one thing to see it on the fish finder another to actually see it in front of you. In Willy's ski school there is a tree laying in about eight feet of water that is always loaded with bass you can see them swimming around but catching them is another story. I watched at least ten bass boats trying their luck with no good results. I tried to entice a good size bass for at least fifteen minutes with no luck very frustrating. Albert had two blow ups on a large top water lure it was very exciting. We fished in approximately three feet of water and as the sun went down it got cold. We had a very enjoyable day. On Sunday John and I headed out in the morning and our goal was to end up at the vineyards. At the ranch house cove I saw many birds indicating bait so we went through the birds a few times and we were disappointed because we ALMOST had limits. We continued towards the vineyards and I found another bait ball in about fifty feet of water where the bass corralled them and now we had limits so for the balance of the day we culled the bass as we caught them. Now we are at the vineyards and the bass are everywhere it was bass heaven. You could see signs all over of the previous spawn. I hooked one of the largest bass I had ever caught had it on for about fifteen seconds and it snapped my line and broke my heart. I marked the spot and I'll be back!!! Bass were jumping all around us it was unreal. The weather was changing and white caps were forming and we had a ways to go to get back to the launch ramp so as much as we hated to leave we did. In the whole time we had fished this area we did not see any other bass boats which was surprising. What a great day!!! (see photos)
      'til next week..........................................................................good fishing!!!!
      www.fishingconnection.net If you have any questions or stories you would like to share please email me at bestguide@hotmail.com or call me at 650-583-3333.
      City: San Francisco

      Tips: there will be another spawn get ready

Saturday, April 26th, 2014

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Now I have an excuse to thank the fellow who made the previous post. I appreciate it!! This is a very windy report. I had to postpone my trips last night and today. Two or three boats were pulling out after fishing for awhile out of Red Bud - too rough. And next week is supposed to be in the 80's. Timing is everything!!

      Tips: Usually the cold front recovery period this time of year is pretty fast. Sun is higher now and the water should warm again quickly. Could be a spawning wave this week - new moon period.

Friday, April 25th, 2014

  • Riverside County
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      Water Temp: 72.0

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Pre-Fishing for NBW tourney and throwing crank baits, Well the wind was blowing into the dam so I got the wind to my back and casting as far as I could throw it along the dam and bam; hook up! I am thinking this is a giant as it peel drag and head to deep water, then I am thinking its a catfish or striper. Low and behold I finally get it turned around and its a 15lb carp foul hooked.
      So, I continue on and proceed to hook up four more times with them peeling off line and going to deep water before I turn em around and came to realize this is what I came out here for; to hook up and fight a fish.
      I was a blast and my best five would have went about 70lbs; lol.

      Tips: Go fishing, don't get locked in on bass and fish for what you can get hooked up with. It happened to be carp today and it was a blast.

      Cranks running 3-6 feet, long cast with medium retrieve and sharp hooks.

      We did catch fifteen bass on plastics and jigs; NuTech Green Pumkin/Brown and Water melon red. Slow off deep points. 15-25 feet.

Thursday, April 24th, 2014

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

      Report: Larry, I live in Oregon and only get to fish Clear Lake a couple times a year, but I read these reports all the time. I hope you don't get frustrated being the only one that posts. I appreciate the time you put into it. Good news is, I'll be there for 7 days starting this Saturday! Maybe we'll run into you on the water and I can buy you a beer. Thanks Larry!
      City: Merlin

      Tips: Sorry WB, it's not a fishing report, but Larry's a one man show here.

    • By

      Water Temp: 61-64

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: It's nice to know that no one is fishing Clear Lake anymore - at least no one that can post a report! Mike Sperbeck and I will have the lake to ourselves, as we did yesterday afternoon. We start about 5 pm out of Red Bud - again - fighting the wind. We fished what protected areas we could and starting catching bass from 10 inches to 3 1/2 lbs. For the rest of the trip, the wind was a problem, but manageable. Just before dark the size changed and we were into better bass! I lost the biggest which I often do, probably 7 to 9 lbs, but did land the biggest at 6 1/4 lbs. We caught five between 5 and 5 3/4 lbs which gave us a 30/30 trip. Around 30 bass with our limit at 31 lbs. Interesting - all those males that were thick in the shallows last Thursday with my father/2 sons trip - were mostly gone. We fished about 6 1/2 hours.

      Tips: Senkos were very good before dark, and the jig bite was back - hooray!! A few Berkley Havoc baits worked too. After dark the jig bite was still on as well as large plastics like the Berkley jumbo Chigger Craw (finally - a bigger craw) and 3 sizes of Reaction Innovation beavers. Bass were in attack mode and "I think I have a bite" mode. Every hit was different. I'm not sure what will happen at far as the spawn will go in the south arms. Water temp has not risen and should drop some this weekend. Dark of the moon is next Wed and weather will be much warmer. Maybe a pop in the action!!

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 62, surface

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Great 1/2 day on the water today for me, off the water at noon. Ended up with 15 spotted bass. Only one at 15" the rest 12-14 1/2" All on robo worms in 10-25 feet of water. Today, got my first suspended fish off a point in 50-70 foot of water, fish hanging at 10-18 feet down. My new hummingbird dialed me in and away we went. Tossed worms out wacky style with spit shot with just enough line to sink to the fish below the boat at the 15 foot range. Damn, got 7 spots in the last hour. My first suspended fish!!!catch.
      City: Magalia

      Tips: Anyone with a boat looking for a fish partner, let me know and lets go catch spotted bass. Email me at Jewelweaver@earthlink.net

Monday, April 21st, 2014

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: It was my third time EVER Bass fishing (Don't hate me!). But I have been reading a lot on BassResource.com.
      Anyway, There was supposed to be a front later in the day, so I tried a bit of fishing before work (7:30-9).
      Fishing from shore, tried a Jig and trailer, Rat Trap, spinnerbait, nothing. And I could see swirls, Bass were feeding. I remembered reading that during the spring bait fish are smaller, so I tried my smallest lure, a #2 PantherMartin with 1.5in trailer. (5.5' Ultralight rod and 8lb test line.) Cast at a swirl and caught a nice 2 pound eater.

      On my way back to my car 5 minutes later, I tried a couple more casts, felt a subtle strike and set the hook. 5 minutes later, I hauled in a 27 inch HAWG! I DIDN'T HAVE A SCALE! But best guess based on looking at scores of tourni pics, is 11-13 pounds.

      This lake still has monster Bass! (Still has this HAWG in fact, because naturally, I released her. I'll thin the herd of 1-3 pounders and have fish dinner, but anything over that needs to pass its genes on. Especially Trophy fish! Let those trophies lay more eggs!!!)
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Water was way dirty, so it was a bronze #2 spinner. Tiny lure, tiny rod, tiny 8lb test line, and MONSTER Bass!

      Literally big enough to eat every other fish I've ever caught in my life.

Sunday, April 20th, 2014

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 67

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of B&W again and headed back to Little Mandeville Island before sunrise. Started with buzz baits again and my 9 year old son hooked up with his biggest fish ever at 4 lbs. There's nothing better than seeing a young kid catch his personal best! We moved inside the island and I caught 7 over the next 2 hours using the Texas-rigged senko in green pumpkin with another 6 lb kicker. It was a slower day than the previous one, but still good with our best 5 going about 15 lbs. My dad lost one inside the island near a break that probably would have gone 8 or 9. The big girls still seem to be up shallow so now's the time to go find your personal best.
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: The Texas-rigged senko is still the go to bait for us to get the bites and it is still producing the big bites as well with our best 5 for the two days going about 26 lbs.

Saturday, April 19th, 2014

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: We launched out of B&W about 6:15 and were at Little Mandeville Island before sunrise. We worked some buzz baits and caught a 4lber on the outside of the island near a break. We moved inside and proceeded to catch about 10 fish in the 1 1/2-2 lb range working a weightless Texas-rigged senko in green pumpkin. We moved over to Mildred island and caught 3 more small fish and 1 that went 6 lbs still on the senko. We finished up the day at Mandeville Tip (that what I call it, it's the island just east of Prisoner's Point on the San Joaquin if anyone knows the actual name). I fished the eastern bank to escape some of the wind and caught another 6 lber up shallow in the weeds with the senko. All in all a good day with out best 5 going about 21 lbs.
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: We've had more success with the Texas-rigged senko than anything else. I keep working with jigs and cranks, but just don't produce the bites that the senko is producing right now. Work the weed lines and tules slowly and you should have some luck.

    • By

      Water Temp: 65-67

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched B&W 6:45am, started crankin' at top of the Moke and worked down tule island strips...just one shaker striper on a crank for my brother. Just had the itch to throw cranks..dumb idea I guess.
      Decided to move up to Sycamore..worked jig w/craw trailer along rock wall/tule weedbeds finding potholes. Brother picked up 3 in a row and I followed him with 2 more. 5 total for me, 7 for my brother. brown/green jig w/Strike King Rage Craw in CA Craw color. Was **WINNNDDDYYYY** nowhere to hide from it!
      City: folsom

      Tips: All hits came on the fall except one as I was watching my brother catch one, I realized I was gettin' hit as my jig dragged through the weedbed... and all were aggressive males. 1.5lb avg. Looked for potholes in the weed patches but mostly threw at the wall and popped it back once or twice, then the hit would come letting it fall. Brother used a stinger hook on his jig and caught at least 3 on that stinger. I'm gonna try it next outing.

  • Tuolumne County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The Ranger said that they've started releasing water for the farmers,lake has drop at least 3 feet looking at the bank. Fish have pulled back their beds, but are in the expected areas. With the wind its pretty hard to make out beds, but the better fish are holding in 30ft. Senko's, brushhogs dead sticking, seemed the ticket for us.Bites were just pickup and weight.What shallow beds we did see had small scared bucks.

      Tips: Work slow and fish a little deeper while water is dropping. Water level is only going to get worst.

Friday, April 18th, 2014

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 60-65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: "You've Got Mail" - a fun movie, can apply to the Clear Lake south end this week - "you've got male" - as in bass males!! They were everywhere yesterday afternoon/night. A father with his 12 and 14 year old sons nailed about 17or 18 of them yesterday, not counting the ones they lost. They were clones - males from 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 lbs. They were even successful after dark during their first night trip (dad too) ever. The boys really out-fished dad, until they ran out of gas around 11 pm. Great casters too - amazing! Later in the evening, I tried to catch a big fish for them to see, but was 0 for 3 - couldn't get them in while fighting the wind. After dark I was trying different baits for them to use but only caught 2, about the same size.

      Tips: We had a bumpy ride back to the dock, but all were safe and sound. Do I ever love my Ranger Z521!! The wind after dark was most frustrating. I think I know more about night wind there than anyone - but then it will change again. Last night it simply blew every-which-way, sometimes 2 directions at once. It even calmed down - for about 15 minutes - then changed directions again! Gotta love that lake!! I had them fishing many plastic baits with the new Berkely 5" Flappin' hog stealing the show. I had the kids using my favorite color, #954. The bass ate it before and after dark. Make sure you use a wide gap hook for baits like that. We were using the Gami superline EWG 4/0 hooks. My friend Jim Grassi was using that hook with me last week when he landed his 9.06 bass. All of our bass during the whole trip were very shallow - 5 to 15 feet - probably because of the wind.

Thursday, April 17th, 2014

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Dana and I fished for a half day in the west fork. We managed 14 spots between us, 7 each for our half day trip. About half the fish in less then 15ft of water, the rest 15-30 feet. Roboworms with morning dawn getting the most fish. Only one fish at 15".
      City: Magalia

      Tips: Anyone with a boat who would like a fishing partner, let me know and lets go get some spots. Email me at Jewelweaver@earthlink.net

Wednesday, April 16th, 2014

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 66-70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of Orwood at 7:30 and tried for some top water just outside the no wake zone, but no takers. Slack tide. Ran up to Bull Frog Marina area, still no luck. Ducked out of the wind into Mildred and fished beds for the rest of the day. Caught 13 fish, almost all on drop shot, 23 total for the two of us. Biggest went just shy of 4 3/4 lbs., video here: http://youtu.be/mo9u5WjXgMQ
      City: San Mateo

      Tips: All fish on blue gill pattern Roboworms, 6" Fat. Look for light patches in the 1-4' of water. Most of the time I didn't actually see the fish on the beds but they were always close by. Caught a few fish on weed lines as well.

Monday, April 14th, 2014

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 64-69

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I had two outstanding guests Friday and Saturday nights with one of them landing his personal best at 9.06 lbs - AT 1:20 am!! Some of you know of Jim Grassi, now Pastor Jim Grassi, one of the early tournament anglers and author of several articles and books on bass fishing and more recently on living a fulfilling Christian life. He is responsible for my career in bass fishing since he started bassin' first - talked me into going to Berryessa - where I caught my first ever bass - on topwater! Never been the same since!! After all these years, I really think I was more excited about his 9 lber than he was - my way of repaying him! My other guest was none other than former Oakland Raiders head coach and now assistant coach of the super bowl champs Seattle Seahawks, Tom Cable. Let me tell you - he may be a major NFL coach, but he is also a terrific bass fisherman! His casting ability - even at night - is simply amazing! He also owns a Ranger Z521 so he was right at home in mine! We fished Friday from 5 pm to 2 am, found the bite to be good before dark and then dead until midnight. Tom started the midnight bite with a 5.26 pounder, using a double wide Beaver. I fished some during the two nights and after his fish I broke a giant off - second time this year, ugh!! Tom lost a big one too. Literally on his last cast, Jim set on a big one - the 9 pounder! We had a little over 26 lbs for our limit, but it could have been a lot bigger!! Saturday it did not warm up as forcast and the night was breezy, cool, and then windy. Fishing was tougher, though Tom did catch 8 nice bass. He never stopped casting every minute of the two night we were out there, except to munch on a sandwich. Sat night I did manage a 4 1/4 and a 6.1 pounder. Tom's biggest was around 4 1/2 lbs. Lots of 3 to 4 lbers the second night.

      Tips: In spite of Mr. Cable being a great guy and now a friend - I AM still a loyal 49er fan! I was able to discuss a few Super Bowl plays with him - very cool!!! Jim and Tom were lots of fun too! As for baits, we threw everything at them and they had some of their own baits. All soft plastics. I couldn't get a single jig bite. We stayed in the south end. Bass were in the top 15 feet the first night - some deeper the second night. I think Jim's 9 pounder was about 5 to 7 feet deep.

Saturday, April 12th, 2014

  • Yuba County
    • By

      Water Temp: 60-65

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: On the water around 9:30. Merc wasn't running right so never went more than a few miles from ramp. Off the water by 5:00. Wind picked up around noon, but morning and mid afternoon was absolutely calm. Wife and I caught around 30 fish. Bubble Gum Stick-O's seemed to catch the majority of fish with a few coming off small lizards. No big fish this trip but had an enjoyable day catching fish in the 12-15 inch range. All fat spots with 1 skinny, ice cold largemouth.
      City: Reno

Thursday, April 10th, 2014

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Dana and I fished a half day 7-12 noon today to try out my new hummingbird. Even though I spent lots of time learning the hummingbird, we still managed only 7 spots, nothing of any size. Water is warming a tad more, up to 59-60 degrees. Most fish on dark roboworms early, lighter as the day went on. Fish came out of 15-30 feet of water. Be careful, wood all over and hard to see it at times.
      City: Magalia

      Tips: Anyone with a boat looking for a fish partner, let me know and lets go catch some spots together. Email me at Jewelweaver@earthlink.net Tom

Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I forgot to mention another 2 1/4 lb largemouth on a Senko. Five total for the trip, only about 13 lbs total.

    • By

      Water Temp: 58-63

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I guess I am the only one who posts reports for Pardee - check the date - this is a NEW report - 2014!! I started about 12:30 pm (yes, I wish it could have been 12:30 am!), running around, looking things over. I started fishing seriously in the river arm about 1:30 pm, My first bass was a nice largemouth pushing 3 lbs. My next was even nicer, a beautiful unspawned (is that a word?) largemouth at exactly 4 1/2 lbs. They both hit a #301 wacky Senko. Still in the river arm, using a jig, a 2 3/4 lb smallie wore me out trying to land her. Wow!! My last fish was a bare keeper smallie. The sun was bright and wind mostly calm - great if one were sight fishing. I looked around some but didn't see any beds. I fished 'til about 6 pm and was the last one to leave. I threw swimbaits the last hour, but no hits.

      Tips: If island tops are your thing, you will be very happy (unless you run aground on one! Be careful. Most are clearly marked. I didn't find much on the islands, all my bass were on shoreline structure except the small one. All bites were about 12 to 20 feet - all midafternoon.