Fishing Report

Limit:

Sunday, January 26th, 2003

  • Alameda County, California
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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well the water looks better, and while I was knocking the sheezy out o some trout I saw some nice rock and picked up my jig rod, I draged that 3/4 oz. spider jig and got slamed by a largie good or about 3 lbs. It seems like some ish are moving a little shalow already. O by noon and ready or some FOOTBALL....
      City: San Lorenzo

  • Sacramento County, California
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      Water Temp: 47-48

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Pretty tough bite, but got signiicantly better as the day wore on. Started bright and early at 7:00 AM. Pulled up to my irst spot in the South Fork to ind a large school o bait hanging o a break line in 45'. Sweet! Got bit on my irst drop and missed the sucker, but landed a chunky 3+ spot rom 50' a ew minutes later. Had one more bite that pulled the worm down the hook shank, and that was it rom that school. Fished several other areas in the South and came up empty. Found several bait balls suspended over structure, but not relating to anything in particular. At about 1:00 PM with only one ish in the boat, we decided to try one last area - good decision! The ish really began moving up late on sloping, shale/granite rock points. The next ish, a at 2+ spot, came rom about 30' right o the tip o a point. The next two ish, a double with my Dad, both came rom 20' and went about 1.5 lbs. apiece. The next our ish, including another obese spot pushing 3 lbs. all came rom the same type points, and anywhere rom 2-5' o water. The shallow movement late was sudden and very apparent, as we began to see big clouds o bait sitting in the 5-10' range as well. Finished with 8 ish total, the best 5 going 10+ lbs. easily. Not a bad day or mid-winter, but especially un in the last 3 hours.
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: Dropshot the irst ish in 50' on a 4.5" Roboworm Hologram Shad pattern worm. Everything else came dartheading a 4.5" Kalin's Handpoured Morning Dawn worm. Really should have broke out the ripbaits and blades with the shallow move we saw late, but just got too damn comortable with the worm. My bad!

  • Tulare County, California
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      Water Temp: 48-49

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Went up at 7:00 am . Lake has gone rom 7500 acre eet to 11,000 in 1 week. Fished with my buddy and ound ish suspended 3-4 eet o the bottom in 45-50 eet. Did not get 1 bite all day and we ished till 1 pm. Drop-shot, jigs, worms, spoons, we tried everything. Crazy colors, you name it. Nothing.
      City: Visalia

      Tips: ????????

  • Sonoma County, California
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I p;an to come here during the spring or the irst time. Any body have any tips or seasonal patterns? What is the lake like?
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Any tips are good

Saturday, January 25th, 2003

  • Amador County, California
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      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I told my hard-workin' tackle rep buddy Rick Teitz that he needed a break so that we could igure out what's happin' at Amador. We igured it!! We arrived Friday aternoon about 4 pm and started ishing about 4:30. We threw worms and jigs to no avail and then we noticed that some o the trout were acting weird. Maybe they were being chased by bass? Rick was the irst to throw his 8" Basstrix trout-colored swimbait (he should since he reps them!) and almost immediately he yelled - maybe out o pain rom setting the hook! I soon netted a eisty 7-6 bass that had nearly swallowed the swimbait. A ew casts later he is into another - this time only 7-2. Aw, what a shame. And then another - believe it or not - a 2 3/4 lb bass ate that swimbait. He had another spit it out at the boat. We both have something to talk about at San Mateo ISE. My swimbait lacked sex appeal and I didn't get a hit. Ater a great rib dinner at the resort, we went out or some night ishing. That is the reason I wanted to go because it was going to be a warm evening - and it was! We got bit on 10 and 11 inch worms and I got my 7th ever Warmouth bass on a brush hog. Rick certainly had the better trip this time, thought I did get 3rd biggest bass - in Rock Creek - a 4-2 that took a 10" zipper worm. 10" Power worms (Junebug). 10" zipper worms, and 11 " Gator tail worms seemed to work best. They would not touch a jig. We had the question answered - would a bass hit a swimbait at night? They will! Rick hooked one about 10 pm and we could hear it jump in the pitch black. What a hoot! Problem is - it jumped o. The bite really slowed down ater midnight and we wisely decided to get some sleep. We wound up with nine bass and a Warmouth bass and a ive ish limit o 24 1/2 to 25 pounds. Not bad or January! Only had one small bass - about 1 1/4 lbs. All the rest above 2 pounds.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: The swimbait bite was sensational but didn't last long. We were ishing steeper banks with a lot o rock. Points didn't produce well last night. The ish deinately went deeper at night with most o the action at 20 eet. The tail action o our worms seemed to attract the bass. I was shakin' brass and glass but it didn't seem to help at all.

  • Napa County, California
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      Water Temp: 52 degrees

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hit the water or the irst time this year - trying to work out the kinks. Launched out o Capell Cover at irst light. The wind was dead, the lake was lat and the skies were overcast. The water was up too. Headed or my avorite spots in skier's cove. First thing threw a ghost minnor ripbait and quickly put 3 keepers in the boat. All were smallmouth and under 2 lbs. Caught 2 other small ones. Switched to drop shot, ater trying jigs and spinnerbait, and caught my next 2; again under 2 lbs. Caught a couple more with the same weight. Most any color was working, but the best was green weenie and a'arons magic worms. All the ish were in 15 eet o water. Had my limit rom 1 area beore 9am. not too bad. I tried back in the backs o the coves with my jig and spineerbait, missed one, otherwise but no takers. Love my new rods though, gonna make ishing these baits much nicer this year. Thanks John or a great deal!!Headed out to the narrows or a ew more spots o o the typical points. Caught 2 more on drop shot beore deciding to go looking or something with size. As the clouds busted up by lunchtime, Iheaded out to the big island to ish some humps that are now ully submerged. Nothing.As I was heading back to the ramp, I decided to scout the west shoreline since I really knew little about it. Spotted a great point with a lot or rocks and a water pump. Decided to give it one last try. 3rd cast with my Br/Purple Rodstrainer jig with purple grub grailer, a nice 3 lb, smally hooks up and I am happy.I headed to the ramp to visit with a ew missed riends and a share in a great day on the lake. (nice seeing you again Terry). All in all 10 ish, one going 3 lbs, with lots o wate let un-tried.
      City: Redwood City

      Tips: With the water rising, there is a lot o debris in the water. Most o it was small, but there was some hull busting big pieces out there; just under the water. Be careul!!

  • Santa Clara County, California
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      Water Temp: 54-56

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished last Saturday or the irst time this year. I was expecting it to be wide open. Not to be. I struggled or two small ish. I ished everywhere; shallow, deep, slow, ast, north, south, coves, points. My avorite winter spot was dead. Beautiul day on the water. Not a very good day ishing. It can only get better.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: winter at calero usually calls or jigs, spider jigs ished shallow to deep slowly. Didn't work last saturday. I've also caught many winter ish slow rolling a white spinnerbait in shallow water.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Only one ish today. It was a beautiul day out. Jigs didn't do it or me today. Got a reaction strike rom a 3 pounder on spinnerbait. Awesome ight! Thought it was another winter hawg. Fish came out o about 3 oot o water using a slow retrieve. Hard to tell what the bass are up to. Just gotta wait or more stable weather or more consistent action.
      City: San Jose

  • Solano County, California
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      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I GOT SOME FISH!!!! I can't tell you how jacked up I am about this! I launched rom Lazy as always, at sae light, just like the prior 4 trips. Cept one thing was dierent. I was armed with a small but critical tip I got rom someone that reads this stu. That's right! One o you sent me the email! Can't tell ya exactly who, or exactly what, BUT, I CAUGHT FISH!!! OK, the tip said use this and go there. I'll just say that Disco was the place. I ended up using my personal avorite Delta bait, pumpkin/chartruse with a split shout bout 10 inches rom the bait. Went strait to the exact spot o the tip and by 7:36:23, I had a ish on! Ok it was somewhat o a dink but it was a FINE ish! Took about an hour but the second one was not small. A 2.83 lbs Largemouth took it! Got em in the boat! What a dierence a TIP can make. The people that read this are COOL. The guy knows who he is. My partner and I are greatul or this orum and you readers...Thanks all! Went to Orwood, got a BIG breakast and ished or about another hour...I'll take 2 over 0 every day o the week!!! Good luck you guys!
      City: San Leandro

      Tips: Just keep reporting...i you suck REAL bad you may get lucky and a GURU might email you some secrets! No Bull****

  • California
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      Water Temp: 51+

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: This was my second trip in a week and can certainly attest to the act that the bite is coming on. I blanked last week while my partner got one but yesterday I had my count up to 6 with backseater getting about the same. Bite was on Senko's and jigs and ish averaged 2 pounds each. There was also a tournament going on with about 10 boats rom the Yuba City club and 3 ish won it...however, one was over 8 pounds and a real beauty! Congrats to Jackie the winner. With the lake about 3' rom ull the ish are moving and no real solid pattern established, however some were caught deep, some shallow. Only getting better and it's a good time to go beore all the powerboats start showing up.
      City: WHEATLAND

      Tips: Fish were caught on white hair jigs with a white grub tipped in chartruese, white tube baits and red/black Senko. Also got a nice one rippin'.

  • Lake County, California
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      Water Temp: 50/51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at Red Bud at sae light, ran straight or Jensen Point. Could'nt go any urther because o FOG!!! Started with a crankbait,No Good,Started lipping a jig against the pilings and wham,a nice 4lber went on down the line and kept banging out little ones. Just beore the rock point I pitched my jig against another post and got a nice 3lber.No reaction today but will try again tomarrow.No Super Bowl or me.
      City: Marysville

      Tips: Brown on Brown Jig!!

  • Sacramento County, California
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      Water Temp: unknown

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Folsom on Saturday. On the water at about 7 and drop shotted or about the irst hour or so. Having nothing remotely promising near my line, I switched to a jointed Rebel craw and caught a small spot in water that was about 15-20'. Caught another small one later on a Rebel shad rap in about the same depth. We marked ALOT o ish very deep (80-100' according to the inder) and were unable to get them to hit anything. My bro had a strike on a jig with a Hula grub.
      City: Petaluma

  • San Luis Obispo County, California
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      Water Temp: 50-54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well the Bass Classics o Santa Clara Valley had the best ishout in years or any month let alone January. We had 28 guys catching 101 bass or 172 lbs and a 1.7 lb ave. There were 13 limits caught and everyone caught ish.The winning team said they caught between 30 - 35 ish each.The top weight was 11.00 or Pat Mcmurray he was using Salt & Pepper grubs on 1/4 & 1/8 dart heads. They ound the ish stacked up on one bank in a 50 yard area that had a secondary hump o the bank and the ish were between the bank and the hump ambushing shad. The ish spit up shad and were very aggressive ater awhile they through worms on a darthead and spider grubs in our or ive colors to keep the ish interested. In Second place was Dave osborne he cranked a ish and caught them on grubs and spiders jigs also mostly on the main lake points. In third was Gordon Rydquist he used Morning dawn worms on a 1/4 oz. darthead to catch most o his ish. In ourth was mysel with 9.75 lbs I had our ish on my shad wiggle wart near the marina in the morning og and then I caught one on a deep water main lake point while my partner had two on drop shotting robo worms in 25-30 eet on the point. Later in the aternoon we ound ish back on the windy main lake points with shad wiggle wart cranks again. In ith was Tom mordue he used hulagrubs in shad color and cranked some ish on main lake points with shad cranks. He also used spider grubs and worms to ill his limit. This was by ar the best January ishout in many years and we can't wait to get back there again.
      City: remont

      Tips: Remember the ish are near the ramp or a couple o weeks ater the weigh-ins so try there and use shad cranks(wiggle Warts) also the main lake points hold most o the ish.

  • Shasta County, California
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      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: new to the area and have ished whiskeytown about ten times with MINIMAL success ! any tips would be "GREATLY APPRECIATED." have ished jigs and worms with terrible results. HELP !
      City: redding

Thursday, January 23rd, 2003

  • Santa Clara County, California
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: No ishing today. Was in the area and thought I'd give the lake a look. Water level has gone up about a oot since last week. Bailey cove looks great! Should be a very good year. Come on spring!
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Didn't have my rod today. Water is still pretty cold, but a tad warmer than the previous weeks. I'd guess low 50's.

  • Sacramento County, California
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      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hadn't been on the lake in almost a year, so I wasn't certain what to expect. Launched out o Brown's on what started as a very pleasant day. Decided to stay in the south ork and just work all my normal stu - primarily points and channel bends adjacent to spawning areas - and it ended up paying o pretty well. The numbers were not great - only 7 bites total in the boat with 4 landed - but the quality was excellent. Finished with a 3.5 lb. smallie (what a pleasant surprise!), two spots in the 3 lb. class and another spot that went 5+ easily. And would you believe we couldn't buy a bite on the jig? All ish were caught shaking 4"-6" worms on 1/8 oz. dart heads, and rom 12'-25' deep. Fish came to the boat spitting up pond smelt, but I had a heckuva time locating the schools o baitish. Noticed a TON o grebes working bait over 100+ t. o water, but ound very little bait adjacent to structure. Interesting. All bites came on points or channel banks immediately outside major creeks, and all but 2 were the classic winter mush bites.
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: Fish slowly and be patient. Stick with shad colors and make sure you maintain bottom contact at all times.

  • San Diego County, California
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      Water Temp: 59-60

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I have been ishing Jennings weekly or over a month.The ish have been deep. 40 to60 eet in Dec. They have come up to about 30eet in the last two weeks.Drop shoting 4 inch Arrons magic worms and bubba riggingsenkos have worked the best or me.The ishhave all had good length but were skinny.The last week or two the ish are getting atter.
      City: El Cajon

  • Tuolumne County, California
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      Water Temp: 53-57

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hit the water at 12:30.Decided to go south today.Started jigging on some rocky points but not takers.Went back to the drop shot and picked up a largie at 35.Went to a gut I like that has wood and submerged miloil.Nailed a nice at 2 1/2 black on the drop at 20.Went to similer cover and got bit, except now they were 2 pound crappie.Made a move to check out Mormon.Ater some searching I inally ound the ish a 37 eet in dense wood.Picked up three more largies to 2 1/4 pounds.
      City: Sonora

      Tips: Stay in the cover,nothings changed.At least or the largemouth.

    • By

      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished monday and launched out o Tuttletown ished the Mormon Creek area. Caught 4 ish 2 largemouth and 2 spots. Caught ish on twin tail skirted grubs and drop shotting 4 in. worms. Fish were caught 30 to 35 eet. All hits were very light only pressure bites.
      City: Sonora

      Tips: Fish slow and don't assume you are on a stick or rock, could be a ish.

  • Merced County, California
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      Water Temp: ??

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Jon, thanks or posting your reports. Although I haven't been able to hit the lake in months, its nice to see what is going on out there. Thanks. Hope to see ya on the lake soon. Also, can you e-mail me with your rates? Thanks again.
      City: Gustine