Fishing Report

Limit:

Tuesday, October 5th, 2004

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

      Report: There is good catfish caught there we caught 9 pound catfish and a 4 pound trout with powerbait for the catfish we used anchovies and chicken liver the bass we caught where to small so i dont know about them. the first catfish we caught was the first teen minutes we got there good luck.
      City: merced

      Tips: use for catfish anchovies and/or chiken liver for trout use powerbait the green or orange and also use salmon eggs for them. FISH WITH PACIENT.

  • San Francisco County, California
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      Water Temp: not tested

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Norcalfisher E-mail me so I can set up a schedule I'll bet lake merced will probably holds some record breaking bass. There's a lot of fishing spot I saw when I was cruising on it a few days ago. Thanks
      City: San Francisco

  • San Luis Obispo County, California
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      Water Temp: n/a

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: took the old man for the day.did not get on the water till about 11:00,he does not like to get up early,went to las tables whats left of it.like the report from ken the best method was to shake small worms.we cought most of ours though around what floating docks and pontoon boats we could find.he did catch two largemouth and one was as easy 3lber which is real hard to find in this lake.when we call it a day here we just troll back for white bass and we cought quite a few nothing to bid 1.5-2.0 lb average.as usual though and it is october during the week the jetskies and skiers out number the fishermen 10 to 1.this poor lake and they are allmost done with the new ramp a four lane with new parking lot will make it a complete zoo this summer dont even bother going.although all the bouldres around it for erosion will make a good spot to fish.
      City: salinas

Monday, October 4th, 2004

  • Solano County, California
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      Water Temp: unknown

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of Sugar Barge at 4:30 PM. Windy conditions and high tide...Saw only other truck in the parking lot leaving for the day and he said the bite was tough. Spent all my time in Franks throwing topwater. Initially, the bite was sporadic with most activity in the 1.5-2.5lb range...with one 6+ striper thrown in for fun. Around 6:00 the tide started moving out and the bite was on. The bigger fish were in the 5+ range with most in the 3-4 category. Hooked and released a dozen in this range and missed that many. Had one fish bounce my bait three feet in the air and when it landed another inhaled it...AWESOME to see. FOLKS...the topwater bite is off the hook and lasts the entire day. The last three times on the water, one AM, one mid-day and one evening have all produced good size and numbers.
      City: brentwood

      Tips: Topwater is the ticket for me from now until December 1st or so depending on the water. Work bait fast and hold on because the bites are vicious. I prefer the bottom of the low tide, but am finding a decent bite in areas with defined edges that drop into 6-10 feet of water at the higher tides. My personal bait preference is a white no nothing prop bait that simply catches fish. Stay safe. TG.

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

      Report: Fishing was outstanding. Hooked up with some real nice fish in Jago bay. Saturday was a pain cause of the Anglers choice TOC. Boats were everywhere. It was unreal. Dropshotting,jigs and buzzbaits were all we used. I stuck an 8 on sun night off a buzzbait. Fished a hundred yard stretch and caught an 8, a 6, two 3lbers in fifteen minutes. Every fish off the buzzbait were right off of peoples boat launches. Fishing this weekend was unreal.

      Tips: Morning and evening find peoples boat launches and throw buzz baits over them. Good luck.

  • San Francisco County, California
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the lake after work on Friday for just about an hour. Well, about on the fifth cast I nailed a 5 lber on a small plastic in the same area that my partner caught his 6lber. There are some big fish cruising around and if you happen to be in the right spot and know what your doing, BINGO. Hey, Darius I'm looking to tube Merced but don't have a tube partner. Let me know.
      City: Daly City

      Tips: Fish it slow and crank it slow.

  • Ventura County, California
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      Water Temp: 76

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Water is still very warm. Caught a 2 pounder on a spinnerbait at 9 am. 9:45 tossed a buzz bait over a sumberged tree and missed a 2-3 pounder (should've had a trailer hook). Water was calm until 11am and it got choppy as it usually does around noon. Kept reeling in dinks all day. Went to the very north end of the lake where it's all cat tails and weeds in about 2-3 feet of water. Had to pull up the trolling motor and paddle my way through in a couple of spots. I saw 2 4-5 pounders cruising around in there but was unable to catch any of em. Decided to stay until dark and trolled around the marine docks. Hooked into a 5 pounder(at least)from under one of the docks on a crankbait. Darn thing tossed my lure and got away! Going back in two days.
      City: Ventura

      Tips: Bring a lunch.

  • Shasta County, California
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      Water Temp: 68 to 72

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: In at Jones Valley at 8:00am. Ran up the Pit a bit and tried some plastics with no takers. Went up a bit farther and found alot of surface action. Tried a couple of spoons and started hooking small spots. Tied on a surface shad type lure and had a ball. The biggest probably went 1.4 with a bunch of dinks. Moved on past Arbuckle and went back to the plastics. Tried a new color, Blue Smoke in the Hoo Dun It and caught 3 more. Nothing to write home about, 1.5 was the biggest. It was a fairly slow day. We need a weather change for the fishing to perk up, maybe next week.
      City: Cottonwood

    • By

      Water Temp: 70.6

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: In at Jones Valley at 0650, air temp 63, lake hovering around the 100 ft mark for past 4 days. Ran up the pit a bit and found a ton fo bait and fish above Susanville Canyon, got 2 on a surface bait and watched clouds of very small shad being chased by a bunch of 1.5 spots. Couldn't get anything on other surface or rip baits or my MGM stuff except one on a 4 inch #127 worm. I could just not get anything to go in the 65.6 degree water, went up further where you can see the current and the area was devoid of bait and fish at 57.9 degrees. The turnover is going great guns and is now down near the bottom of Susanville, ran back downstream and came across the MGM folks with a bunch of fish in the boat. The wife had 6 and the old man claimed 10 but you know how some of these guys can lie. Most of theirs were 1.5 lb fish and some dinks. Went on back down and got out at 1315 hours with the air temp at 86. Kinda the pits of a day for me, did see a huge flock of Turkeys just south of Stein Creek, after stein creek the current picks up noticeably.
      City: Redding

      Tips: Just don't do what I was doing. Need that new moon and some weather.

Sunday, October 3rd, 2004

  • Napa County, California
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      Water Temp: 69-72

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Had my best trip ever to berryessa this weekend. Saturday I fished around Markley cove and did good on numbers;I was amazed at how many fish I caught that broke the 2 lb. mark. I fished the no nothin banks on the left as you leave markley with a Jig and a texas riged worm in aarons magic. I ended the day with a 3.89 on a brn/brn 1/2 oz jig. Total for the day was 13.67. Sunday I decided to go up the creek and see how the bite was up there, and although I only caught 13 fish I caught I caught 2 big ones at 5.13 and 4.91 and my total for the day was 18.11. I caught only small ones in the creek until I got way in the back where it starts to narrow down. What a weekend!!!
      City: Winters

      Tips: Go way up the creek and throw brown on brown jigs till your arm falls off. The bigger fish wanted the bait moved very slow

  • Santa Clara County, California
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      Water Temp: unknown

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Slow day. Fished the east side of the lake in float tubes. Between Jay Hann and myself, caught four or five bass, all dinks except for one that took a Yamamoto grub on the last cast of the day (~1.75 to 2 lbs.). So, very slow. Jet skiers were annoying as usual, with one kid zooming between us and the bank, 15 foot clearance. Nice.
      City: Belmont, CA

      Tips: Yamamoto grubs cover lots of water and accounted for all fish. Try the new White Ghost Tackle Bass Balm to add scent and sparkle to your lures, that stuff will help you catch fish!!!
      Destroy all Jet Skiers. Are you with me? ARE YOU WITH ME???!!! If you're tubing Calero, tube defensively.

  • Sacramento County, California
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      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished for a couple hours 9:00-1:00pm, caught five, mostly 10-12inchers with the best one at 3lbs even that went for the Rattle Trap. Caught the others on rattle trap and 5-inch big hammer swimbait. Nice day, I need to get an earlyer start next time.
      City: Morgan Hill

      Tips: Fish where somewhat active and chasing lures.

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

      Report: Went up for the weekened here at clear lake. Have'nt been here for 11 years. Stayed at Konocti. Caught a lot of fish. Biggest one weighing 5.6 pounds on a 4inch worm, The rest of them were all little ones. Had a lot of fun. I have been using the dropshot method but then decided to change to using Split shot. Worked just as gd as the dropshot. Had a great time. Hope to come up here again soon.
      City: San Bruno

      Tips: Forget the dropshot. Use the splitshot method. Seems to work better.

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

      Report: It's been a month since I last fished this
      lake. Water is up and pretty clear, all the
      hydrilla definitely helps clear the water.
      I started out about 6:30 AM, I put my kayak in amongst lots of surface action, I personally have not had alot of success on this lake fishing top water, and this morning without any wind at all to break up the surface I didn't even try. I tied on a 4" reaper and started pitching into outlying weed beads and whamo! 1st fish was just shy of 6lbs! next fish went 2 3/4, then 2 small guys.
      I started drop shotting with that same reaper, my brother who thinks I'm crazy drop shotting it would have been rolling around the bottom of the boat when I landed a healthy set of 4lb twins within about 10 minutes of each other. After that I caught several more in the 2-2 1/2lb range and packed it in at 1 PM. Lake is great condition going into this fall, abundant amount of bait, lots and lots of small schooling bass in the shallows, clearing water, bring on the fall!
      City: Oakley

      Tips: I fished slow and methodical between the island and weed beds to the right of there, fished past the dock about half way down to the dam. Green color caught the first, last and every fish in
      between.

  • Sacramento County, California
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      Water Temp: 68-70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Gin Clear is more like it. I have had some good evenning trips in the last few weeks with the better fish just after dark. Pre fished an upcoming Future pro tourn this Sunday during the same hours as the tourn. and Folsom reminded me of the past several falls. Bottom line, my fishing partner Steve and fellow compet. in the tourn circuit caught two dragging a split shot 4 inch worm and I did not get bit once. Tried top water, rip baits, drop shot, jigs and lots more jigs, cranks, ect. Tried shallow, drop offs, humps, and spoons down to 40 feet. Nada. Last year in the TOC I found the fish in 50 feet of water on spoons all day, YAWN..Oh well , I have another weekend or so to find them.
      City: SACRAMENTO

      Tips: Go to the river and Spoon a Salmon.

  • Mohave County, Nevada
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: just got back from shasta went with friend pre-fish bass/west/open in a couple weeks. FYI lake is low due to draw/down. if anybody can help us get a hold of a kid who lives on the lake he invented a pulse transmitting drop/shot in 42 dirrent types but it is kept so quiet nobody can get them till after the tournament which SUCKS because it is a long drive. my partner did get 2 of them but 2 big spots gangbanged it and broke 1 off. my partner is still fishing up there with the only 1 left to find fish.but he nedds to get more before the tournament.dropshotters are getting 2lb.avg4/5 but the sloan dropshot method has doubled the bags of those who he sponsers.
      City: scottsdale

      Tips: SHASTA STICKS AND THOSE PRE-FISHING SAY THIS IS AS BIG AS WHEN IOVINO GAVE US BRASS & GLASS AND MANY USING THEM THINK A WESTNER MIGHT WHEN THE CLASSIC WITH IT .

  • Washoe County, California
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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: What a day!!!! Caught only 6 fish all morning, but they were all between 3 and 7 pounds. The six fish had a total weight of 22# 8 oz. Try split shotting 10 inch berkely worms. Soft bites so be ready.
      City: Bakersfield

  • Shasta County, California
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      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Got out today with my partner Jason. In the water at 6:20 at Packers. Was nice to see Shasta recreation making sure the float was in place. Anyways started out up the sac and fishing steep walls. got one a Marks Tails "Billy T's Rainbow trout" spook, then that was it for the spook. Picked up my jig(1/2 brn/brn) and worked it from 10-35 feet got two fish one at 2 and the other was barly able to ge the jig ion its mouth. moved more up the sac but couldn;t get on any consistent bite in the next four hours I caught one on a carolina rig,spoon, and had 2 more blowups on a spook. Late in the day we moved into the McCloud and started fishing the same stuff, got a few on a jig, and some fish on a 3/16 oz darthead with a #39 MF worm. All together pretty slow, northwind hurt us I beleve, but still we should've done betetr then this.
      City: redding

      Tips: Jigs, worms, and a spook in teh morning, also try a vixen if you were lucky enough to get one

  • Trinity County, California
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      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Took my first trip to Trinity over the first weekend in October. It was beautiful. I truly had a great time out on the lake with two buddies and John Gray, "The Maine Guide." I'm a newer to fishing and John put me onto my first "Smallie." Dear God, take me now - those fish fight like there is no tomorrow. 3 of us caught 25+ fish. No "hogs." Most fish in the 1.5 to 3 lb. range. Definitely going back to see John, the man knows how to put together an excellent experience. He was able to tell me right where to case, what to use and then WHAM ... it hit FishZilla! And, he really knows how to fill a belly! Thanks for the memory John.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Give John a call, it was a phenominal experience.

Saturday, October 2nd, 2004

  • Solano County, California
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      Water Temp: 68-69

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Had a Client from Japan today. We started off from Russo's with the intent of cranking them in current, WRONG!!!!. We managed one solid 2.5lb on cranks and went in shallower with Buzzbaits, 3 short hit's and left for No.2 spot. Decided to flip after trying crank's. Interesting observation was the fact on how tight to cover these fish were, Litterily nose tight. Manage to get 4 solid hits with the client dumbing one probably over 5. He said something in Japanese that didn't sound good. We were Flipp'in 9X Watermelon/Red Flake.

      Headed South on Old River and found it Dead. Headed into Rock and had 2 fish in the boat that were decent. Head back to Frank's to fish the Dock's and proceeded to hear Japanese and a splash, not good HAR!!!!. Finish the Day at 5PM and a new Vetern Flipper/Pitcher.

      Tight Lines

      Rich Thiel
      City: Livermore

      Tips: Found the fish related to deep water but shallow nose tight to cover. Flip Light weight and watch for that tick. The buzzbait bite for me was short strike's. Has the moon disapates, the bite will get better. Recommend throwing Buzzbait's in White w/gold blades. Jig's in Black/Red Worm's/Senko's in Watermelon or Junebug. Big bait's if you have them.