Fishing Report

Limit:

Friday, December 27th, 2002

  • Shasta County, California
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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: This is a copy o an e-mail sent to the previous poster regarding an event on Shasta on 12-28-02 at Packers Bay.Chris,thought you might like to know that there isn't going to be a turkey shoot on Shasta tomorrow. turkey shoots are illegal as whoever is running it must have a required ish and game permit and also a permit rom the orest service. I would imagine that what you would ind tomorrow morning would be a game warden waiting to cite anyone who showed up to enter such an event. A person who did go out ishing with others in a competitive event could ind his equipment(boat, vehicle,rods etc) coniscated upon his return to a ramp. I thought you might like to know that, a permit is required to hold such an event on Shasta and most any other lake in Caliornia. Unless you are a ish and game warden or a orest service employee trying to suck someone into attending such an event it is probably not a good idea to broadcast these sorts o things over the internet.jerry
      City: redding

Thursday, December 26th, 2002

  • Solano County, California
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      Water Temp: Cold

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Decided to head out and try our luck the day ater Christmas in the cold wind -- no rain. Launched out o Paradise Pt. and ished White Slough and Disappointment. Threw everything: senkos, jigs, crankbaits and spinners. No action, except one 3.5lb on a Brush Hog. Saw only one boat ishing; die hard like us.
      City: Fremont

      Tips: Thank God we had a powerul trolling motor ishing the wind (MK 65AT). Bundle up, wind will get ya!

  • California
    • By

      Water Temp: COLD!!!

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Break out the thermal underwear and the ingerless gloves...it's time or some winter bassin'!!! Yeh buddy! LoL. Well, once again, it's good to be back here in CA doin' some ishin'. The lakes up in UT were just startin' to reeze when I let. I haven't had a chance to do any real bassin' since I was in AZ or Thanksgiving. Anyways...hit the lake today at about 8:00 AM...and that's right...loat tubin' time! Made sure I had on 2 pairs o socks, thermal underwear, a jacket, ingerless gloves, and a beanie to keep the head warm. What a day to do some tubin'. Air temps were at about 45-48 degrees when I launched, skies were overcast all day, and had some scattered LIGHT showers here and there...also a slight wind to the west. Started o by lettin' the wind carry me across the main point and I just tried jiggin' a spoon anywhere rom 8-35t o water. Did that or maybe 30-45 minutes without any takers. So I continued on to a smaller point over by the channel point dock. Now is when I busted out the drop-shot rig. In the next hour or so, I caught 4 ish all in the 2.5 - 3.75lb range, and I missed about 8 other hits and lost 1 pullin' it in. Lost more than I caught that's or sure. They were stacked up on that little point pretty good. I wasn't particularly set-up or drop-shottin' today though and has 12lb test rigged on my spinnin' reel. I I downsize to 6# test next time, I ought to eel those bites a little sooner and catch more ish. Anywho, ater I had my un on the little point, I decided to leave those ish alone and see i I could ind them anywhere else. I wanted to try crankin' the rocks over by the lagoon. So that's what I did...I threw a crank at it, then a jig, then the drop-shot. Notin' on the rocks. They're not there. Tried lippin' a jig into the tules or the remainder o my time in the cove by the lagoon. Nothin'. Ended up with 4 solid ish. Not bad at all...
      City: Antioch

      Tips: Well, the ish are obviously on the points. I didn't try drop-shotting on that big main point today, but I wouldn't be surprised i they're there too. I preer the smaller points though right now. I caught all my ish today in 6-10t o water. Also...the point I was ishing had some grass on it. Today's Drop-Shot bait: 6" purple ghost colored straight tail worm. Again...the key is to not drop-shot as ar up as most guys do...I'm still only placing my weight no more than 10" rom my bait. Fish SLOW...let the bait sit there or a good while beore ya start gently shaking it again....

  • Tulare County, California
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      Water Temp: 46-47 deg's

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Water temp is down to 46 degree's. ished or 5 hours. marked ish around 50-55 eet and bait at 35-45 eet. nothing. just a nice cold day to drive the boat around. ished 11 till 4 pm.
      City: Visalia

  • Westchester County, California
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      Water Temp: 49-51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well, a cold crisp morning on the ol quarries today. Got on the water at about 8 a.m. and proceeded to toss a drop-shot o the rock piles at about 20t with no takers. It was cloudy and looked like rain, so i went to a gold silver buddy and popped that at about 25 - 30 t with nothin'. I busted out with the carolina rig ( Big leader 4 t ) 4 1/2 inese worm and yet again nothin'. I think i might've missed the bite by a ew hours or so just beore the ront moved in. The clouds came kinda quick and the barometric pressure was droppin'. I split at about 12:30 without a bite and deeated. Next time........
      City: Milpitas

      Tips: Deep, Deep water presentations. I'm still learning the lake mysel

  • Sonoma County, California
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      Water Temp: 51-52

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I ished Sonoma today and just nailed 'em! Everything worked!! I couldn't believe it. Jigs--ish. Brush hogs--ish. Drop shot--ish. Spinnerbaits, cranks, spoons, banjo minnows--ish ish ish ish. I the bite's anything like this or the New Year's tourny, the winning weight will be 18-20lbs., or more i someone catches a kicker ish. The problem will be culling, not catching. Heck, a day like today makes me wanna turn pro at this. See you all there next wednesday! Don't be surprised to see a lot o limits.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: I a word o this were true I'd be on the cover o Bass Stud magazine. Sunday and today were two o the toughest days in my short bassing career. Rain. Cold. Mud. No ish. I swear they are all dead in this lake. Today's day ishing was just a little better than working (still better, though). Bring your own slice o humble pie on wednesday and hope it only goes uphill rom there. Good luck.

Wednesday, December 25th, 2002

  • California
    • By

      Water Temp: dont know

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: hey whats up whith black butte lake had not herd anything or sometime whats up people whith the ishing any crappie ? oh and i anyone now about hunting by black butte lake give me an e-mail i hunt upland birds like quail, dove , turkey ,pheasent, mostly looking or turkey ive seen them by the lake but was behind a ence privite property any ino whould help ok thanks
      City: you know

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

      Report: Fished about 12:00-5:00pm got 6 bites 3 on power bait (charteausse)2big bite but came o the hook 3 on castmaster stripe (blue)hook them all near shore 1 5lbs 2 about 2-2.5lbs
      City: San Francisco

      Tips: castmaster stripe(blue)3/8 or 1/4 oz really works side arm cast, ish 2-3 days ater they stock

  • Shasta County, California
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      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Antlers public ramp is back in and the loat is in place, Sugarloa still in the water but will get looded out in a week or so and no loat in place, no loat at hirz bay. Debris starting to build, lots o small stu but some bigger pieces have made it into the lake, most o it is up against the shore but will soon be all over i the winds predicted blow over the next ew days. Bailey Cove still out o the water by 21t or so, packers back to 2 lanes, jones valley back on the concrete ramp and 2 lanes but lots o debris around the loat, centmudi back to 2 lanes, the water has gotten a bit greener but will probably muddy up over thurs-ri, lots o water pouring in everywhere.
      City: redding

Tuesday, December 24th, 2002

  • Yuba County, California
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      Water Temp: 48

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I took a riend to Collins on Monday aternoon or about 3 hours o ishing. Since he is used to ice ishing in the midwest, the cold north wind and terrible ishing conditions didn't bother him. The lake was up 20 eet in a week, very dirty, and the bass had to be conused! I knew we would be lucky to get bit, but we were bit 5 times, and landed 4 o them!! I got the irst one - a near 15 inch spot on a chartreuse Terminator spinnerbait in about 3 eet o water. He missed on one a jig and then caught a 14 inch largemouth on a black Weapon jig. I soon landed a 15 inch spot on a brown/orange Weapon jig. Me moved down by the dam and he caught another 13 1/2 inch spot on the black jig. Not great ishing, but good under the circumstances!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: We saw several ish on a rocky point when we irst arrived, but they were suspended. I told him they might move shallow and bite beore dark and three o them did! Two that we caught and the one he missed came rom that rocky area in about 10 to 15 eet o water. We were moving the jigs pretty ast to get a reaction bite. It seems to work. Tried crankbaits to no avail.

  • California
    • By

      Water Temp: 39F

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Ater a big rainstorm, Lexington comes back alive again. Water increases rom 2% to 43.7%o capacity. Right now water is very cold and muddy.I went to Lexington on Christmas but didn't expect much with this cold and muddy water.It's a tough day. Better luck next time.Merry X mas. :-)
      City: Stanord

Monday, December 23rd, 2002

  • Alameda County, California
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      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I spent about 4 hours on Monday trying to catch some bass. The water is VERY muddy, maybe one oot visibility due to the recent rains. The result
      City: San Ramon

      Tips: I suggest to wait until the water clears up some.

  • Sacramento County, California
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: It's been 20 days and a ew big storms since my last outing on this lake. The December storms and stable dam releases are responsible or a 10t rise in the lake level. I didn't launch until 1:30 and didn't expect to return to the same bite I'd been on prior to my haitus. I've been a good boy this year I guess, because Santa delivered a git in the orm o a nice aternoon. Caught a 2lb on a main lake rock pile using the same 1/4oz darterhead I used to work the walls at Berryessa a couple weeks beore. The heavier heads help me keep in contact with the bait in deeper water. Worked a couple spots in the gardens and missed a strike on a blade. Got the next ish on the same shad colored worm above the narrows. These stikes came shallow so I retied with a 1/8 and a green worm. Ater sitting on a typically productive point without being bit, I threw the shad colored bait within a ew eet o the green and caught a ish within seconds. I noticed the wind shited and began blowing in rom the south. Went on to catch another hal dozen in the last hour beore sunset. My buddy Swimbait once commented that he wasn't a color-o-the-week guy when it comes to worms, but shad colors do imitate the orage (pond smelt) and I believe green imitates crayish. Many sticks are very successul with jigs here in the winter despite crayish being dormant. Speaking o Swimbait, he just threw down or a new Lowe with a Yamaha 4 stroke. He's also getting a new handle. Some other nutcase was going by Swimbait on the orum beore my buddy's epic day. He went back to back on a 7lb and an 8lb on this lure a ew season's back. Beore ya'll say gag me with that aluminum v-hull rig ya gotta know this is the angler that busts me o cell calls wading in the American while he's got an 8lb chromer making a drag screeming run. He's all, "yep, you just keep catching dem bass there Zipper!" He's a manager in the ood production indusry, so his new handle is MSG- Multi Species Guy. Make no mistake, MSG is a air country bass stick and he says he wants to do a little tournament ishing. I'll miss having the opportunity to ish with him ater I move to Portland next month.
      City: El Dorado Hills

      Tips: Rising water- ish shallow? Pond smelt- shad colored baits? Wind shited rom out o the north to out o the south- increased activity? I openly admit I'm guessing about how conditions aect the bite.

    • By

      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Spent one hour this evening with two bites on plastic but missed them both.
      City: Folsom

      Tips: Fish were in 10' o H2O o o secondary point.

Saturday, December 21st, 2002

  • Shasta County, California
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      Water Temp: 52-53

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at 0730 at Jones Valley. Fished the lower Pit all day until around 2:30pm and ound ish at virtually every place we tried. Nearly every ish was over 13" but none was over 16"...typical Shasta are. We caught 8 at 15+ inchers weighing 1-07 to 1-10 and a bunch more in the 14" range weighing up to 1-08 (pounds-ounces). All on dropshot Roboworms and carolina rigged tubes.Tomorrow, gonna try a blade and some jigs & see i we can tie into something a little bigger. The morning was beautiul, but the winds in the aternoon made things a little cool.
      City: Palo Cedro

      Tips: We ound most ish were holding pretty close to 25-28 eet deep. Keep your eyes peeled or loating debree, including 20-30 oot logs. The water is clearing up rapidly, so get out there beore the next storm hits & do your last minute shopping in the evening.

Friday, December 20th, 2002

  • San Luis Obispo County, California
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      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: lake has come up,about 15 eet,lots o red mudd,loating logs,becareul-islands at west ramp at oak-shores just went under the water.ever shallow,cantinas has just got water in it.new years day trounament at naci,team or single, god bless
      City: oak-shores

      Tips: be care-ul

  • Butte County, California
    • By

      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: So, I'll bet some o you are wondering how the ishing has been ater, say, three major storms (one a downgraded typhoon), lake level up 10 eet in three days, irst rost o the winter (the day we went), previous day major hailstorm, and dingy water everywhere. Glad you asked! I have never seen the lake become dingy this quick! I took two clients on Wednesday - the only non-rain day. It was not the day to learn to bass ish! We were promised sun by the weather guessers, but it was mostly cloudy with a very cold breeze all day! It was really too cold to run around much with those olks, so I headed to the middle ork, hoping to ind clearer water - didn't happen. I knew there was a crank and rip bite beore the cold ront and dirty water came. We tried some with cranks but couldn't get anything, which didn't surprise me. I tried a brown/orange Rodstrainer jig and quickly got pounded by a 17 inch spot in about 5 eet o water. The ish didn't even go 2 pounds! I caught two more in the 16 inch range, missed a good one and had one rip o the tail o the Yamamoto grub. Had about three other bites. My clients had several bites on worms (mostly Witch's T) Magic worms, and one landed a nice spot just under the slot. Unortunately, the ish just wern't aggressive. Had my clients been more experienced in winter ishing, they would have landed a ew. The ish just wouldn't hold onto the worm as they usually do. Other than the irst big spot I landed and a good one I missed, the bite was just pressure - not a typical late all jig bite. We had a good time - had some action - learned a lot - and didn't get rained on!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: There is some debris in the lake but it is not too bad. The lake is so low that it will take awhile or the big stu to show. When we let the Bidwell ramp at 3 PM (no problem launching) most o the rigs had let. I assumed that meant it was tough or other also. It is always interesting to ish in rough conditions where you have 4 or 5 strikes against you, and see what happens. Bass were suspended all over the place with no pattern at all. I really think they are more conused than the anglers! Everything we caught were next to vertical walls. Merry Christmas!!!

  • Shasta County, California
    • By

      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: the road into Jones Valley is open with some looding near the hidden valley market but passable, the trees have been cut&removed with the exception o a ew small ones which can be easily driven over, the concrete ramp is back in the water with the loat in place, the lake has come up nearly 28 t since the 12th and is now at 74 t down rom the top and rising at an inch per hour or better,the water is comparable to chocolate milk, debris is all over the place with bigger chunks just now making their way into the lake, Antlers may be back in today but I doubt that the loat will be in place, Packers is in good shape, hirz bayis in but no loat, centimudi is in and back to 2 lanes
      City: redding

Thursday, December 19th, 2002

  • Alameda County, California
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Stop lyin'. Nobody catches ish at Chabot but me.
      City: ??????

      Tips: watch me ish, Ill show you how its done!

  • California
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: HEY THANKS FOR THE INFO BY ANY CHANCE HAVE YOU GOT SOME STRIPERS OUT OF THERE AND WHAT DO YOU USE.I HAVE GOT SOME NICE STRIPERS ON RATTLE TRAPS WHAT DO CONTRA LOMA STRIPERS EAT .THANKS
      City: ANTIOCH