Fishermen's Fishing Reports

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Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: 20mph north wind
Water_condition: stained
Date: 08/22/2000

Report

Fished the Delta today with a store customer (LLoyd). We started off in a big flat weed area off the San Jaoquin River. In the first hour we put ten bass in the boat up to 21/2 pounds. Caught all these bass on worms and brush hogs. Then we ran south to Quinby Island and fished some similar looking water with a lot of sparse weeds. There are a lot of baitfish two inches long in these weeds. We ended up catching in these weeds a 3 and a 41/2 pounder. Should of had a few other nice ones which came loose. Most of the bass I have been catching are on the outside of the weeds in the sparse stuff. Good Luck, Alan

Name: Alan (Fishermans Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: North Delta
Weather: Hot
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 08/14/2000

Report

Fished Snograss Slough with Dave Carrick today. We flipped PRO Hogs and caught fifteen bass to 31/2 pounds. We threw the SUMO Frog a lot today and had over twenty blow ups, only catching three frog fish. They were not to agressive, I miss one that hit five times on the same cast. Good Luck Alan

Name: Mark _Wilson
Email: None
Location: Suisun Bay-Mothball Fleet
Weather: Breezy and Warm
Water_condition: Dirty
Date: August 14, 2000

Report

Saturday, August 12, 2000...Me and my friend Rick fished Suisun Bay again near the Mothball Fleet for sturgeon. We had quite a bit of action, but no keeper sturgeon. We caught 12 shaker sturgeon to 38". Missed a couple of bites. And, we lost a couple, none of which would have been a keeper.

We saw several jumpers in the area with a few at keeper size. But, no big ones on the bite today. We had good hard tides on Saturday. The end of a 6.0 feet outgo and all of a 4.9 feet income. Water was dirty. Grass shrimp was the bait of choice. Saw a few other boats fishing today, but I don't know how anyone else did. No radio talk either.

Name: j.m schroedeer
Email: jmsd13@yahoo.co
Location: layfette resivour
Weather: sunny & windy
Water_condition: clear
Date: 8-10-2000

Report

in west side of east cove on shorline between 5th -6th dock closest to point from 12pm til 4pm caught 1 rainbow 12 inches...then went to shadow cliffs struck out, what evening bite...???

Name: j.m. schroeder
Email: jmsd13@yahoo.com
Location: shadow cliffs
Weather: windy & sunny
Water_condition: surface: choppy underwater: murky
Date: 8-10-2000

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thought i had a bite, but was only wind & fingerling's pulling my chain in pan handle of quarry

Name: Alan ( Fishermans Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Bodega Bay - Ocean
Weather: Flat & 10mph winds
Water_condition: clear
Date: 08/08/00

Report

Went to Bodega Bay with my dad, Alfred, Bob, and Kenny. We went north to Fort Ross about twelve miles north of Bodega. I graphed the rock piles in forty to sixty feet of water and saw a lot of fish. We caught limits of nice rock fish (50) and 5 ling cods to 24 pounds. Most of all the fish were caught on 2-3 oz DUH and Gibbs spoons. I bet we lost over ten nice ling cods half the way back to the boat. They were just comming loose. My dad had a piggy back, a 20 pound plus ling was holding on to a 20 inch ling trying to eat it. We had a great day and a lot of fun, only saw one other boat there. Good luck, Alan

Name: Mark_Wilson
Email: None
Location: Suisun Cut - Suisun Bay
Weather: WINDEE!
Water_condition: Dirty
Date: August 7, 2000

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Sunday, August 6, 2000....Chester Howard, President of the California Striped Bass Association and myself went after sturgeon Sunday. Real windy (20-25 mph). We couldn't get out to the mothball fleet, so we stayed inside of suisun cut for a wind break. It was still very breezy with "rollers", but fishable.

We used grass shrimp for bait on a double hook setup. We used 4 oz. of weight in 32' of water. Fished from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Chester and I caught 7 sturgeon with only one keeper at 46-1/2" (20 lbs.) We missed a couple of sturgeon bites and the other bites were small stripers.

Name: rockkid
Email: rockkid69_2000@yahoo.com
Location: duxberry bouy
Weather: flat clam
Water_condition: clean
Date: aug/3/2000

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to day we were trolling and we had 12 salmon all on bait small anchovys thats what they r feeding on... the moochers had a few fish but the trollers had lots of bites .we also had afew rock cod there is alot of rock cod moving in to the area but small baits are the rule... goodluck and tight lines rockkid ... over ...

Name: rockkid
Email: rockkid69_2000@yahoo.com
Location: duxberry bouy
Weather: flat clam
Water_condition: clean
Date: aug/3/2000

Report

to day we were trolling and we had 12 salmon all on bait small anchovys thats what they r feeding on the moochers had a few fish but the trollers had lots of bites we also had afew rock cod there is alot of rock cod moving in to the area but small baits are the rule... goodluck and tight lines rockkid ... over ...

Name: Dexter Bradford & Jerry Dodge
Email: none
Location: Newmelones Lake
Weather: hot 100 plus
Water_condition: lite wind 80 surface temp
Date: 7/28 & 7/29 2000

Report

Got on lake at 5/30 am fished with Uncle Larry,s Lures Yellow& white spiners with copper blades& small dodgers we fished the west side near the dam we fished 55 to 65 ft deep at 1 mph in 200 to 400 ft of water We caught limits both days by noon. The fish wear from 15in to 17 in WE are members of Calif. Striped Bass Assoc. Sacramento Chapter Good fishin Dex & Jer

Name: bill
Email: bjschidel@aol.com
Location: american river
Weather: dark and hot
Water_condition: flat,65deg.
Date: 7-31-00

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went to try for samon ,came home with a 17.5lb , 34" striper. a first fish on a new rod it worked!

Name: johnny ng
Email: jnmng2
Location: lake berryesa
Weather: hot
Water_condition: 80 deg
Date: july28 00

Report

got to berry and started fishin' around 4p.m....very slow. ..caught my fist fish at 6 w/ a caroling rig and brush hog...caught 6 fish total, fishing til 9pm. most of them were on the b-hog 4 smallies (pretty nice ones 1.5 to 2#) and two 13" largemouths. (one on top water) the other topwater boils were small fish. Most of the fish were between 12 to 25 ft.....question of the day: is this typical of summer fishing at berryessa; i thought there would be a better late topwater bite and 2nd ?? of the day: how's night fishing here??

Name: Mark_Wilson
Email: None
Location: Pond Fishing - Rancho Murieta
Weather: Warm in the low 90's
Water_condition: Low and Warm
Date: July 28, 2000

Report

Thursday evening, July 27th...Bob Moore, Rex Ritchie and myself headed towards Rancho Murieta to do some farm pond fishing for largemouth bass (Florida/Norther strain). The pond we were headed for is about 22 acres in size, and is known to hold some lunker bass, upwards of 12 lbs. The three of us fished from about 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and we landed only 12 bass this evening, up to about 4-1/2 pounds (most of the fish were in the 3-4 pound range). One around 10 pounds got away from Bob.

The water was low and warm. Bob was wading, Rex used his float tube, and I walked the bank. We tried flukes to start with. Only one hit and one fish at 2 lbs. In the past we had good success on buzz baits, so we switched to buzz baits and none of us had any hits at all. All of the fish caught came on 3/8 oz. spinner baits, in either black w/chartreuse or white w/white. The fish were laying off shore, out about as far as you could long cast from the bank. Bob waded out and was getting more action.

The "pond" did not produce as many numbers and quality of fish as in the past, but it was still a good trip. We just had to work a little harder. We strung five of the larger fish, took their pictures, and all fish were released.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: 20 mph winds
Water_condition: stained
Date: 7/25/2000

Report

Fished the Delta today with Bob and Creighton. It was low tide in the morning and we got onto a good pattern first thing in the morning. We flipped watermelon brush hog and anglers choice bush master worms, along the outer weed line. The largest bass came in the afternoon, I started to throw a double willow spinnerbait on the outer weed beds and I started to catch some nice bass to 4 lbs. Both of the guys caught bass over three pounds flippin in the morning. Total for the day, twenty bass and one toothless pike! Good luck Alan

Name: Greg Cook
Email: gccook1@pacbell.net
Location: Feather River
Weather:
Water_condition:
Date: 7/24/00

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Name: greg cook
Email: gccook1@pacbell.net
Location: feather river
Weather: great
Water_condition: 7,500cfs
Date: 7/23/00

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I fished with Rip Their Lips Off guide service on Sunday and had a blast. Dave the guide is a great guy with alot of patience. I took my 13 y/o daughter with me and we both caught limits of fresh run king salmon up to 28lbs! Dave was very polite to my inexperienced daughter and she really liked the trip and wants to go back already. Dave said the fishing will only improve in the next few weeks and I will be booking with him again. The greatest thing about the trip was that "KIDS FISH FREE" with this guide service. If you want to take your kids fishing, I highly reccomend this guy and his service.

Name: Mark_Wilson
Email: None
Location: Mothball Fleet-Suisun Bay
Weather: Breeze in the Morning, Hot after 11 a.m.
Water_condition: Dirty
Date: July 24, 2000

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My friend Steve Ong and myself fished for sturgeon at the Mothball Fleet in Suisun Bay on Sunday, July 23, 2000. We picked up bait from Sylvia Vieira at Vieira's Bait (777-6662 for reserving bait) in Isleton and launched at Harris' Yacht Harbor in West Pittsburg. A SW breeze (12-15 mph) was blowing early and then died around 11 a.m. We fished the last of the income in the early a.m. and then all of the outgo until we quit at 2:30 p.m.

We caught five sturgeon, one of which was a 70" fish @ 74 pounds (landed that fish in about 7 minutes after a short run and one beautiful jump). We used grass shrimp on a double hook set up, in 30' of water about 1/2 mile northeast of the mothball fleet. No one around us. We saw about 50 "jumpers" of assorted sizes during the outgoing tide. Our bite was at the hard flow of the outgoing tide. It was real slow all other times of the tides. We missed two good sturgeon bites. They just started and dropped the bait before we had a chance to set the hook.

Name: Fred Burse
Email: fjburse@yahoo.com
Location: New Melones
Weather: Clear, warm. Breezy afternoon.
Water_condition: Clear
Date: July 21, 2000

Report

Caught Kokanee at 60 to 70 feet using silver doggers with Ex-Cel spoons, in pink and red, tipped with Shoepeg corn. Fish were between 1 and 2 pounds. No big ones (they got away).

Name: Frred Burse
Email: fjburse@yahoo.com
Location: New Melones
Weather: Clear, warm. Breezy afternoon.
Water_condition: Clear
Date: July 21, 2000

Report

Caught Kokanee at 60 to 70 feet using silver doggers with Ex-Cel spoons, in pink and red, tipped with Shoepeg corn. Fish were between 1 and 2 pounds. No big ones (they got away).

Name: Matt M
Email: matt_m_guitarman@hotmail.com
Location: Del Valle
Weather: Clear Skies in Sunny Cali-for-ni-a, Slight Breeze, in other words: perfect weather
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 7-20-00

Report

Fished along coast near Tarantula Cove (I think that is the name of it) with nightcrawlers and a bobber and caught a monster Bluegill (about 11 inches). In the same area using a Rooster Tail Spinnerbait caught a Large-Mouth Bass (about 12 inches; just within keepin length).

This was my first time to this lake and I have to say it was great. I came here with my aunt and uncle on a bet that fishing here was better than in Virginia. I just got myself a new pair of Oakleys.

Name: Mark_Wilson
Email: None
Location: Feather River/Thermolito Outlet
Weather: Very Warm
Water_condition: Medium High
Date: July 20, 2000

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Wednesday evening, July 19, 2000...Took a quick trip up to the Feather River last night after work, and fished a couple of hours near the Thermolito Outlet for salmon. Water is running good and clear. The fish are pretty bright and are jumping and rolling in the pools and runs. LOTS OF PEOPLE FISHING on the bank, on both sides of the river, and boats in between. In other words, lots of pressure.

My partner and I hooked 8 salmon and landed two. Fished beads and yarn with 1 oz. of weight to touch bottom. Had to break off two snagged fish because they were spooling me in the heavy current. Lost a couple of "jumpers" which were probably snagged also. The two landed (20 and 22 pound bucks) were caught in the mouth. We were able to control those fish somewhat, but we still had to chase them down the river several hundred yards, in water up to the armpits.

According to local fishermen, more numbers of salmon are showing up, but so are the fishermen. That's it. "Catch" you later - Mark.

Name: Fishing Jim
Email: paglucia@pacbell.net
Location: Folsom Lake
Weather: Hot
Water_condition: Full of Water /Jet Skiers
Date: 7/19/00

Report

Drifted the rockie points with pumkin green lizards and rootbeer splittail jigs. The Biggest fish released was a 4.25 Largemouth, with lots of twelve inch shakers. We had what looked like a ten pounder get off just as we finally got a look at it. Needless to say we were dissapointed, the fish took one look at us and said "See Ya", and it was GONE! We get alot of joy dragging Lizards... they fool BIG fish! "See Ya"!

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: North Wind
Water_condition: good
Date: 07/17/2000

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Fished the Delta for bass today, had a good high tide in the morning. The fishing was no good! Three of us only caught ten bass including the dinks. Maybe the full moon had something to do with bad luck? This was the worst day this year for me. Oh well can't catch them all the time. Good Luck Alan

Name: Greg Dixon
Email: gnmdixon@jps.net
Location: Verona, Sacramento River
Weather: windy
Water_condition: poor
Date: 7/16/2000

Report

I fished the salmon opener with my good friend Joe at Verona. The fishing was slow. We saw one fish caught and heard of another fish having been caught at the mouth of the Feather River. Probably 80-90 boats on the water. We pulled out at 10:30 am. Will try again Tuesday. Until next time. May the FISH be with you! Greg

Name: Greg Dixon
Email: gnmdixon@jps.net
Location: Indian Valley
Weather: clear
Water_condition: good
Date: July 9 & 10

Report

My son Tyler and I got on the water about 6 am Sunday. We fished Uncle Larry's spinners in glow pinky and blue tiger. We used silver dodgers in the morning then switched to gold and copper dodgers when the sun came up on the water. We fished 60 - 70 ft deep. Lots of boats on the water, probably 35-40 boats spead throughout the south end of the lake.

Tyler and I had several double hook ups. Caught 17 fish and kept 10 for our limit and released the rest. We stayed overnight in the campgrounds, which was nice. We had a slight breeze throughout the afternoon and evening which kept us cool.

On Monday we caught our limit by 9:30 am. and loaded up the boat, we spoke with Bob Watson and then headed home. All the fish were good size 15 1/2 - 18 3/4 inches, with a couple of dinks we had to keep due to the way they were hooked.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: fishfong@aol.com
Location: North Delta
Weather: clear
Water_condition: stained to clear
Date: July 10th & 11th 2000

Report

Fished the north Delta the last two days. Caught 15 bass each day, most on flukes and flippin brushogs. Found a lot of good looking moss beds with a lot of blow holes. The bass are under them but were not to active. The mornings are cool still, the temperatures need to get into the 100 degrees. In the two days I caught a total of six frog fish to 3 pounds. The new Sumo Frog works real good and the hooks are sharp! You don't need to fix it up, just tie it on and fish it. The pink color works! Good luck, Alan

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: fishfong@aol.com
Location: North Delta
Weather: clear
Water_condition: stained to clear
Date: July 10th & 11th 2000

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Name: John Cullen
Email: hammerjohn@softcom.net
Location: out of Bodega Bay
Weather: 10 to 15 K winds and overcast most of the day.
Water_condition: clear with lots of floating kelp
Date: 07-10-00

Report

We launched at the west side ramp at approx 9 AM. We had reports that they were really killing them at 125 ft in 250 to 300 ft of water. We went out of the bay and started south, it was rough going so we decided not to go out very far, we started hearing reports that they were picking up a few at Bird rock and Elephant rock, then 10 mile beach. We got as far as Elephant rock and decided to turn around due to the rough seas. It was smoother going back toward Bodega. After passing Bird rock and then off the point of Tomales we angled in and were in 50 ft of water with the downriggers set at 25 ft when a 28 lb female salmon slammed the anchovie on the rotary. That was about 2 PM. We made a few more passes through the area but no more luck. The weather did lay down a little in the afternoon but we continued on in. The salmon was beautiful.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Rubicon River below Hell Hole
Weather: Fair, Warm
Water_condition: Clear to 20+'
Date: June 9, 2000

Report

Fished on a stretch near the bridge that crosses the Rubicon east of Stumpy Meadows reservoir from 1 PM to 5:30 PM. Should have gone home sooner, but the action was incredible. Caught and released rainbows ranging from 4" to 14" all afternoon on mini-crawlers. Technique is to find a boulder upstream from a larger pool and freeline drift downstream. Or cast upstream from the tail of the pool, the wind blows up the canyon and helps toss a bait with no weight. The larger fish seem to be concentrated at the tail of the pools, rather than the heads.

Seriously, don't even add a tiny split shot, the fish inspect offerings very carefully, and if they don't fall right, they inspect and leave it be. If I were a fly fisherman, I would probably use a black or otherwise dark stonefly nymph, because the nymphs and dried nymph carcasses were literally everywhere I looked down.

Because of the water clarity, I got a chance to observe trout behavior. Interestingly, even though it was in the heat of a summer afternoon, the fish were suspended at the head of the pools and in the main pool bodies, but on the bottom at the tails of the pools. What it all means, only the trout know...

By the way, fish cautiously near the bridge. It is very high, and passersby seem to feel compelled to spit, pee, and throw things off it (including boulders hauled there by truck that are so large it takes 3 full grown men to toss them over the side). I personally think nature is for everybody's enjoyment, and I don't mind if folks want to swim or splash around in pools I'm fishing in. But my girlfriend, who was fishing with me, was only missed by about 20 feet by a 4 foot long, 4" diameter stick some unsupervised kid tossed right at us. Lucky for the little brat, he was a good 300 yards and 100 feet of straight up away from me or I would've tanned the SOB's hide myself.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Silver Fork American River
Weather: Fair, Mild
Water_condition: Clear
Date: June 9, 2000

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Fished from about 1/2 hour before sunrise until 7:30 AM above China Flat Campground and below the bridge that crosses the river before Silver Fork Road heads up to meet the Mormon Emigrant Trail. Fished three little pools and caught about a half-dozen little trout (6-8") on half mini-crawlers and worms.

I used #4 hooks with crimped barbs and I got fairly clean releases. Without patting myself on the back too much, all of the little guys swam off very vigorously, so I hope I get another chance at 'em someday when they're bigger (and probably downstream).

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Dark Lake
Weather: Fair, Mild
Water_condition: Clear to 12'
Date: June 8, 2000

Report

Fished afternoon to early evening. Artificials did not produce strikes. Among the losers: Colorado, Sonic spinners in various patterns, Plugs (Rapalas in silver/black & gold/black and Rebel Wee Craws) and plastic worms. Winner was mini-crawlers, but fishing was pretty slow. Fish caught were 1 rainbow trout (16") and 1 brown trout (13").

Overheard some fly fishermen talking back and forth from float tubes, and the one I saw catching quite a few fish was telling the others he was having his success with a Parachute Adams. I think he was telling the truth, but...

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Suisun Bay-Mothball Fleet
Weather: Warm w/15 MPH Breeze or Less
Water_condition: Dirty
Date: July 10, 2000

Report

My friend Rick and I fished Suisun Bay, Mothball Fleet on Sunday, July 9, 2000. At 5 a.m. we stopped and bought 2 lbs. of "reserved" grass shrimp from Silvia at Vieira's Bait Shop (777-6662) in Isleton (Silvia takes reservations for bait). Launched at Harris' Marine in West Pittsburg and boated to the east end of the mothball fleet in 28' of water. Marked some fish, so we started fishing. Stayed in one spot all day and fished the end of the morning incoming tide and through most of the outgoing tide. We caught seven sturgeon, one of which was a 63" at 55 lbs. The rest were shakers to 38". Saw a few jump. Missed seven sturgeon bites, caught a shaker bass, and had a small assortment of "junk" bites. The sturgeon were on a very light bite. Finished the day at 3:30 p.m. Stopped back at Vieira's to take a picture, and to weigh and clean the fish. By the way, Vieira's has an excellent, stainless steel, fish cleaning station right across the bridge at the entrance. Also, they provide plastic bags for your cleaned fish.

Name: Rich
Email: thekenwoodman@aol.com
Location: Freeport
Weather: mild
Water_condition: good
Date: 7-7-00

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I caught 6 or 7 35 pound stripers on sardine about 50 feet from the bridge on a boat. my freind caught 5 or 6 shad that range from 7 to 10 pounds each on on neon green and red shad darts. this was about 10:00 clock in the moring. We also landed a 20 pound salmon they made use relase it because you cant keep salmon on freeport yet this year. We also lande a 61/2 foot sturegon on go shrimp that weighed in at 100 and 23 pounds. All of this in only one day.

Name: Dexter & Jim
Email: none
Location: NewMelones
Weather: 85 to 9o wind 1o nice day
Water_condition: clear 80 deg
Date: 7/6/2000

Report

We started at 5am got fish right away 300 ft of water 55ft deep in front Tuttle ramp used Uncle Larrys copper red& yellow spiners allso orange apex for 10 koks 15in to 17 in. Got home in C.H by 2/30 pm. Good fishing Dexter & Jim

Name: gene wong
Email: wongranger
Location: king's island
Weather: fair and winding in afternoon
Water_condition: good
Date: july 5,00

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It has been fair top water action with pop r the last 3 weeks since school let out. Finally caught some lunkers up to 4 to 6 pounds this week. Hope to get more this coming week.

Name: Alan Fisherman's Warehouse
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: cool and breezy
Water_condition: clear
Date: 07/03/2000

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Fished the Delta today with Creighton and we caught 20 bass to 2 pounds. Caught the first two on super flukes and all the rest were caught on the NEW Angler's Choice Bush Master. Too many BIG boats on the main river channel getting ready for the big fourth of july fireworks display by HILTON at Prisoner Point on the San Jaoquin River. So we only fished til noon and we came home. Good Luck Alan

Name: Greg Dixon
Email: gnmdixon@jps.net
Location: Indian Valley Res
Weather: clear/hot
Water_condition: clear
Date: 6/27/00

Report

Today Uncle Larry and I went fishing at Indian Valley Res. The fishing was terrific. We got on the water about 6 a.m. We started catching fish right away. Larry was down 75 ft and I was down 65 ft. We were both running cannon ball flashers, of course, they were Uncle Larry's flashers. We both started with Larry's spinners tipped with white corn soaked in scent. After a few hours the bite had slowed down so we started switching around lures for the next few hours. Caught a few on bugs but that bite slowed down also. After a while a slight breeze came up. Larry switched to a spoon and we both came up the 60ft and soon the bite was back on. I changed over myself and we finished off the rest of our limit. The most productive lures were Glow Blue Tiger spinner, copper pop spinner (which caught the biggest Kokanee of the day 2.9#. whopper! We had a limit of ten Kokanee for 23.2#. They were all good size fish. Other recommended lures are Chocolate pop, glow pinky, copper pink & blue and small spoons in the copper color.

If you need any of the above listed items they may be purchased at Fran & Eddy's in Rancho Cordova (916) 363-6885 Until next time, may the FISH be with you! Greg

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Clear & Breezy
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 06/28/2000

Report

Fished the Delta again today, it was a lot calmer weather. Started with the fluke and chug bug. The chud bug caught bigger bass than the flukes today.Caught a lot of bass flippin also in the current, nothing big. Lots of big boats in the San Jaoquin getting ready for the 4th of july fireworks. All the boats are anchoring around Prisoner Point. Good fish'in Alan

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Clear & Breezy
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 06/28/2000

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Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Clear & Breezy
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 06/28/2000

Report

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Clear & Breezy
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 06/28/2000

Report

Name: Steve Casella
Email: casella@tcsn.net
Location: Sea of Cortez near Guaymas
Weather: Warm, clear, some SE winds
Water_condition: Blue water at 20 miles...74-79 degrees
Date: 6/27/2000

Report

Dorado were wide open along the weed lines, especially when we located large paddies. The fish we caught were mostly 20-40 lbs, but heard reports of fish to 60 lbs. We also caught one small Wahoo. Saw numerous Marlin although we didn't land any. Inside in the green water we saw lots of Sailfish where the skipjack schools were everywhere. Although we didn't fish for the sails, I'm sure you could catch all you wanted on skipjack bellies. We had most success on the Dorado with lures with green/blue/gold colors, but caught fish on everything including cedar plugs. Most of the wind was in the mornings and afternoons were flat/calm.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Very hot
Water_condition: clear
Date: 6/26/2000

Report

Fished the Delta for black bass today with a couple of friends. We started with buzz baits and spinner baits with no luck, only a couple of small ones. Then I switched to a zoom super fluke and on every point I caught 2 to 4 bass on every corner to 41/2 #. All the bass were nice tournament keepers. We came up on this small island and Bob casted his fluke to the point and his line started to take off slowly, he set the hook and the rod doubled and the bass shook off. He was cussing because he said it felt heavy, o'well thats fishing! Over the day we caught and released over 25 bass and it was very hot(over 100 degrees). Only caught 2 bass on frogs ,one weighing 4#. A lot of people are having a tough time in the Delta right now, try fishing weight less baits! Good Luck Alan

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lake Berryessa
Weather: Hot & Hotter
Water_condition: Cloudy, stained (green)
Date: June 25, 2000

Report

Fished with minnows under a bobber from 6am to Noon. Caught 1 catfish (about 6 lbs.) early and hooked two more large fish that went for deep cover and snapped my line that I never saw. Too bad I was fishing for trout with 2 lb. line! Also caught many small bass in the 8-12" range on the same bait, I believe they were smallmouth (mouth did quite extend back to the eye).

Anyhow, for those inclined, the hot bait at Berryessa is minnows. What you catch with them depends on what's biting where you soak 'em. Hopefully I can get back to the readers of these reports with some more goodies from the Sierras after next weekend. Trout action seems to be just about dead for shorecasters in the lowlands these days.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Suisun Cut
Weather: WINDY (20-30 MPH)
Water_condition: Dirty
Date: June 26, 2000

Report

Saturday, June 24, 2000....It was WINDY! Couldn't fish where I wanted, so we wound up in Suisun Cut. Fished the end of the income and all of the outgoing tides there. Stuck the bow of the boat into the bank. We caught 2 shaker sturgeon to 40" and 5 shaker stripers. Wasn't a good day of catching. We did see, however, about 20 or so, keeper sturgeon jumping in the area, but no catch.

Name: Greg Dixon
Email: gnmdixon@jps.net
Location: New Melones
Weather: sunny/calm
Water_condition: clear
Date: 6/19/00

Report

Fished New Melones this morning with a good friend of mine Joe DeFrisco. Launched out of Glory Hole. We started out in front of Morman Island. I started out at 50 ft and Joe was at 60 ft. I was using Vance's dodger with chartreuse apex and Uncle Larry's cannon ball flashers (silver in the morning and changed to gold when the sun hit the water). Joe was running a #1 rainbow needle fish and a silver Dave Davis flashers on his cannon ball.

Picked up a fish in front of the weather marker in front of the dam in 50 ft of water. Wind picked up and water got choppy so we worked our way around Morman Island and moved towards the Highway 49 bridge. As we were trolling the north side of the Hwy 49 bridge we changed lures to a gold dodger with Uncle Larry's pinky and a silver apex. We picked up one trout right off the start then caught two kokanee within the next hour. Both were good size running 16 inches. We trolled back to the ramp and picked up a few more kokanee, nothing with any size.

Until next time, "May the FISH be with you. Remember to practice catch and release. Greg

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: South Fork Silver Creek/Wright's Lake
Weather: Fair, Calm
Water_condition: Cold
Date: June 17, 2000

Report

And the fishing was OK. Night fished to take advantage of the full moon, with fair results. Started at 10:00 PM and fished till 1:00 AM. No bite on anything (Worms, Rapalas of various sizes, Rebel Wee Crawdads, Spinners). Once the moon came up high enough to hit the water directly (about midnight) action picked up considerably. Had about a half dozen hookups freelining half a mini-crawler and landed 2 brookies to 14". Released one and kept one since it was hooked through the eye. Tricky fishing. Night fishing on streams is a little different because there isn't so much room to cast to. When you don't hear a splash, that's bad news.

May not have a report next weekend, personal matters and such... Until next time, Happy Hunting!

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lake Natoma
Weather: Fair, Warm, Full Moon
Water_condition: Rising
Date: June 16, 2000

Report

Did some night fishing from 10:30 PM to 1:30 AM. A few jumpers, but basically no bite at all. Fished under the trestle next to Greenback Avenue. I have no idea what effect the numerous people urinating off the footbridge (trestle) has on the bite, but I tried a wide variety of topwater baits and spinners (a safe distance from the bridge, I was a little worried that a beer bottle might be next) with no success. For those interested, the current runs the opposite direction at night, so the lies I had spotted during the day on previous trips probably weren't populated. Oh well, it was a different sort of experience.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Lawson's Landing - Pacific Ocean
Weather: Breeze Early AM then Died to Nothing
Water_condition: Stained Dark with 3'-5' Swell
Date: June 19, 2000

Report

Saturday, June 17, 2000...We fished for salmon out of Lawson's Landing. Headed out 240 degrees from Tomales Head, approximately 7 miles, over 275' of water. There were a lot of fish there. We trolled up about 20 salmon, including fish under 20". Overall the fish were small and we kept 6 salmon up to 10#. The salmon were caught on red rotary salmon killers, with anchovies and/or herring, and flies behind a dodger, trolling 2 lb. balls with 70 to 100 feet of line out. Fish were higher (35') in the morning and went deeper (down as far as 100') as the day progressed. Quit a 2:00 p.m.

We did not try for halibut, but we heard there are more fish showing around Ten Mile Beach.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Putah Creek
Weather: Fair, Hot
Water_condition: stained, green
Date: June 11, 2000

Report

Creek is getting very weedy with lots of algae. Fished both righ above the 128 bridge and the next couple access areas down. Tried worms, eggs Wee Craw (Rebel), MegaBass rainbow pattern minnnows, various spinners in gold, silver, red and yellow and didn't see but one fish (although that one was very large). Fished from about 2:30 to 5:30, and I think the time of day was all wrong, just too bright and hot.

Talked to some guys who said they caught a four on an unspecified bait in the 8-11" range. I fished the same spot, and must not have had the right bait. Never did catch any, but I know they are there (so I "have" to go back).

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lake Natoma (upper)
Weather: Fair, Warm
Water_condition: Good visibility to 10', stained green
Date: June 11, 2000

Report

Fished from 7:45 to 1 pm. The trout are there, and occasionally visible, but difficult to catch. My guess, judging from the number of people I saw try the area under the tressle bridge (Greenback Ave), is that the fish are wild/holdover and very spooky. Found a nice rock upstream from the tressle bridge with a good crease in fast current. Tried many things.

Crawdad remains and crawdads are visible on the bottom. So, in the absence of live ones (I did see some boaters taking them with traps from a Zodiac, dunno if they were for bait or eats), I (my girlfriend, really, she's the sharp one) started casting a Rebel Wee Crawdad. The fish were interested. They would follow right up to about 1 inch away, and then not take the crawdad. Power Bait was of no use at all, not even a sniff (the more I use the stuff, the more it seems like a good still fished bait, and the less it seems to work on the drift).

Salmon eggs didn't attract any interest either. But, half a mini-crawler, placed just right, did get some action. Had a small tantrum because a 24+" rainbow got on and snapped my poorly tied knot. Did catch one at about 18" before the bite turned off at about 11:00. Fished a few more hours, but no more luck. By the way the half-mini was rigged on a sliding clear plastic float with a 5 foot leader and an A size split shot.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Wright's Lake & Outlet Stream
Weather: Fair and Mild
Water_condition: Clear & Cold
Date: June 10, 2000

Report

Fished this lake without a boat for better than three hours and caught diddly. Losers included: gold and silver Kastmasters from 1/8 to 1/4 oz, various spinners, salmon eggs, Power Bait (rainbow), gold/black Rapala. Most of the lake seems pretty shallow, and shore fishing is probably not the best way to fish it. I did get one hook up with a large brown that lasted fo about 5 seconds before it leaped about 2 feet out of the water and threw the hook of the plug I was using (Rapala, sorry... I can't remember the pattern).

The stream below is another story. In the half hour before darkness and the about 1 1/2 hours after, I was constantly getting bit by trout from 6" to over 20". Caught the big 'un (20+" brown) on a #0 Mepp's Aglia in brass (gold) finish and caught another 16" rainbow on a single egg (red). Hooked many that got away (good fighters) and landed several more from 6-8." All told, the stream was great, the lake questionable and it was worth the trip to ty into some nice fish.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Windy 25mph
Water_condition: clear
Date: 06/12/2000

Report

Fished the Delta today with Roy a friend of mine, I met at the store. Roy caught the first two bass on chartreuse spinnerbaits, one going over three pounds. On that first bank we caught six bass on blades and senko's. No frog fish today. Most of the bass were caught flippin after the morning bite. Zoom brushogs seem to be working the best. The bass were real tight to the tulle's. You have to flip right against the edge or you won't get bit. We caught around fifteen bass today, with the largest about four pounds. Good Luck, Alan

Name: Greg Dixon
Email: gnmdixon@jps.net
Location: Indian Valley Res.
Weather: light wind/sunny
Water_condition: clear
Date: 6/6/00

Report

The Kokanee at Indian Valley don't seem to be schooled up at this time. They are spread out through the whole lake. We were trolling "Uncle Larry's Kokanee spinners", pink and white hootchies, sockeyed slammers, "Greg's kokanee bugs","Vance's" dodgers (in copper and gold) and "Uncle Larry's" cannon ball gold flashers.

Trolling depths began at 32 feet in the A.M. and down to 64 feet mid afternoon. Recommended to tip your lures with white shoepeg corn. I marinade my corn in various fish scents. The one that seemed to work the best this time was the "KICKING TROUT."

If you need any other information about the fishing, you may contact me by email or at FRAN & EDDY'S SPORTS DEN. You will also find the above mentioned products for sale at FRAN & EDDY's.

Name: Alan Fong
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Windy
Water_condition: Clear to stained
Date: 06/05/00

Report

Fished the Delta today, the wind was blowing around 30 miles per hour. Caught the largest bass about 5#s on a spinnerbait. It was hard to hold the boat into the wind cas it was blowing the boat backwards. Frogs and flippin brushhogs seam to work the best. The bite has tapered off alittle, but it will get better soon. We caught a total of fifteen bass today considering the wind. Good Luck Alan

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Pacific Ocean-Lawson's Landing
Weather: Very Light Breeze
Water_condition: FLAT (2-3 feet every 14 seconds)
Date: June 5, 2000

Report

Three of us fished out of Lawson's Landing on Sunday, June 4, 2000. We fished for salmon. It was kind of tricky at Lawson's with the -1.8 tide in the morning, but we made it across the bar. Reports said there was a good bite off of 10 Mile Beach on Friday and Saturday, but the bite turned off for us on Sunday. We caught just one fish at 14 lbs. and saw maybe a dozen or so others caught. Around 10:30 a.m. we received a radio report of a good bite had started, and we moved outside of the upper end of Pt. Reyes about 7-8 miles south, in 320 ft. of water. The water was stained brown. We caught 5 more salmon (between 8 to 11 lbs.), in a short time, and had quite a few other hits and "scrape" bites. We lost a couple also. We trolled with straight herring bait, on a 2 lb. ball, at 40 pulls (80 ft.). The commercial fleet was out there along with a few party boats and private fishing boats.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Putah Creek
Weather: Clear, Warm
Water_condition: 58 degrees, clear
Date: June 4, 2000

Report

Used a black/red Rebel Deep Wee Crawdad and got hit so hard on my second cast that with two vicious tugs from the fish, I lost my lure (2# test, what can ya' do?). Saw a bigger trout later on in the evening, so I am pretty sure that I did, in fact lose my gear to a fish. Worked the south bank pretty hard without much success until near dark. Then, a lot of surface activity and strikes.

What did not work was: Rebel brown/orange Wee Crawdad, Rapala CD7 (perch), Rapala DSR5 (silver/black), Mepp's Aglia (gold), salmon eggs (red). I did finally catch some fish (little planter) on a Mepp's Aglia Long (goldbo), a 12" scrapper. Also, got many other hits. Not bad for an afternoon jaunt. Never fished Putah Creek before, and the wildlife was alright, too. I had a beaver foraging for nest material not even 100' from me for about 2 hours. Pretty neat.

Name: Aggressor Adventures
Email: fish-on@pacbell.net
Location: Bodega Bay
Weather: Great
Water_condition: Great
Date: 6/3/00

Report

The "New Aggressor" took advantage of the great weather and fished for Rock Cod out at the Cordell area. Capt. Mike said he had to move the boat a couple times because the widows and yellows were so thick his passengers were having a hard time getting to the bottom. A couple of the fisherman decided to mooch for Salmon with some good luck. They brought in 4 nice Salmon to 34lbs. Paul Hixon decided to take his lunker to the baitshop to have Judy give him an offical weighing. He left smiling with his 25 pounder. The "New Aggressor" came in with 22 limits of Widows, Yellows and Boccacio, 15 Ling Cod to 20lbs and 4 Salmon to 34 pounds.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Lower Mokelumne River
Weather: Nighttime Breeze
Water_condition: Clear
Date: June 2, 2000

Report

Thursday NIGHT, June 1, 2000...Went fishing for stripers after work. Left town around 7 p.m. and returned around 3 a.m. this morning. Our trip took us to the lower Mokelumne River to plug for nighttime "return" stripers. My friend, Rick Moore, and myself caught 25-30 stripers last night, only four of which were keepers to 20". We plugged the lighted docks from Tower Park Marina to the Korth's near the mouth. We threw 1 oz. white jigs into the lights. Water depth was from 12' to 25' deep. The Mokelumne River is running clear and 71 degrees.

There were schools of stripers around at the various docks. They were not biting very well. Most action occured around the end of the outgoing tide and start of the incoming tide. We used 6-1/2' rods, 15# test line on bait casting reels. The fish were holding near the bottom, but we did catch some suspended fish.

After the tide change and the current started picking up, we switched to 2 oz. spoons. We caught 5 or 6 fish before the school left us. After 11:00 p.m., the late night was dark (no moon) and kind of windy, so we found some fish and didn't move around a whole lot. We just worked those fish.

That's it for this report. This coming weekend I'm heading either for salmon at Bodega Bay or sturgeon in Suisun Bay. Keep your line wet - Mark.

Name: Fishing Jim
Email: paglucia@pacbell.net
Location: Eagle Lake, Opening Day
Weather: Calm early a.m., 20 mph wind by nine
Water_condition: Semi-clear
Date: Sat, May 27th

Report

There was not as many boats as usual this year... what a pleasant surprise! I started with "just a nightcrawler" , 120 "pulls" behind the boat on four pound Maxima line in the tules around the corner of the Lassen Youth Camp. The first fish was the biggest, it looked like a ten pounder however the digital scale read 5.11. I picked six more that came in around 2.5 to 4.6. When the wind came up, it was not fun anymore... The swells were at 2 1/2 feet with 20 mph winds. I am looking forward to going back this fall, there is no place on this earth like Eagle Lake. It has that special feeling of knowing that you will catch a big Rainbow Trout.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: fishfong@aol.com
Location: Folsom Lake
Weather: windy
Water_condition: semi clear
Date: 05/30/00

Report

Fished Folsom Lake, with a friend who has a tournament on sunday. We caught bass on top water in the AM, on buzz baits and zara spooks. After 9AM all the fish were caught split shotting and drop shotting four inch PRO worms and leechs. Fished the main body and a little in the south fork. The largest going five pounds (largemouth), and spotts and smallmouths around one to two pounds. Over all I wish them a lot of luck, they are going to need it! Alan

Name: Sean Wagnon
Email: seanjill@pacbell.net
Location: Eagle Lake
Weather: nice in early a.m. windy rest of weekend
Water_condition: clear
Date: 05-30-00

Report

Went for the big opening day actually the weekend with family. Trolled with seps flashers with needlefish of various colors. The wife caught one with dick nite behind seps. Still fished with crawlers. Total for weekend 1 fish just @ 2# Was crazy up there at 5000 feet. Saw lots of fish caught biggest we heard of was 5# Too many people and way too much wind. I suggest going out at 5am and fish a crawler under a bobber, if no luck troll until 12 noon. Bite is off by then. Or the wind will end your day. Good Luck

Name: Shauna Harbarth
Email: fish-on@pacbell.net
Location: Bodega Bay
Weather: Breezy
Water_condition: Lumpy
Date: 5/30/00

Report

Bodega Bay has been hit or miss lately. The salmon are there in big sizes. One day it will be beautiful and the next day rough. Most of the salmon are being caught south as far as past Pt. Reyes. They are still trolling for them mostly. Rotary killers and Apex lures are the ticket up here. We are geared and ready for mouching but the conditions just haven't been right yet. We will let you know when it is. Our passengers have caught a 32 pounder, many in the 20's and 15-18 pounds regularly this last week. Rock Cod has been great out at the Cordell Banks area. We had big Yellows and Widows. This last Saturday our passengers had a 25lb and 18lb Ling Cod. They also pulled aboard a 13 and 15 pound Golden Eyes. They were fishing with shrimp flies (without bait) and Crome Bars. The weather was great and all had a great time.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Suisun Bay - Mothball Fleet
Weather: Breezy in the A.M.; Windy in the P.M.
Water_condition: Dirty
Date: May 30, 2000

Report

Three of us fished the mothball fleet in Suisun Bay for sturgeon. We caught 11 sturgeon with two of them keepers. Bob Moore caught a 63", 51 lb. sturgeon and Rick Leal caught a 60", 44 lb. sturgeon. The shaker sturgeon ranged from about 14" to 40".

Grass shrimp was the bait of choice. We fished in 26-28 feet of water at the north eand of the mothball fleet. We used rods in the 7' range, capable of handling 25-30 lb. test. We used level wind reels with 30 lbs. test line. Only 3 oz. and 4 oz. of weight was needed on the day's smaller tides. We used double hooks with a short 18"-20" leader and loaded them up with bait. Best action was around the first of the incoming tide through the hard part of the flow. Then the bite slowed to one here and one there. It was breezy in the morning with the wind running with the tide. Then it got rough after the change of the tide when the wind got stronger (20 mph and better).

We saw a lot of fish jumping also. The fish also showed on the depth finder. Not too much fishing pressure down there. Saw a dozen or so boats around us, but no boats within 1/2 mile of us.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: S. Fork Stanislaus at Strawberry
Weather: Vary Warm, Slight breeze
Water_condition: Clear, cold
Date: May 29, 2000

Report

Fished only about 20 min. below the bridge. Used salmon eggs (fake, florescent red) and a Deep Diving Wee Craw (Rebel manufacters). Got some good strikes but couldn't set quick enough. I would try the area again in a heartbeat- it seems potentially productive.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Beardsley Afterbay
Weather: Very Warm, Calm
Water_condition: Clear, Cold
Date: April 29, 2000

Report

What a place. Remote, but pretty. I was only there a couple of hours in the middle of the day (2-4PM). Caught on keeper one a Rapala CD-7 G (gold/black)- please note, with the barbs trimmed down. Had another that was probably in the 20-24" range throw the hook.

Saw some folks down by the flume fishing with Power Bait and also with worms, even though the area is clearly posted artificials with barbless hooks only. I'm not about to run around writing down license plate numbers, but I hope the little goatroapers got skunked. By the way, a goatroaper is a wannabe cowboy who can't ride a horse- this is not some sort of racist slight.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Pinecrest Reservoir
Weather: Clear, Warm, Slight NW breeze
Water_condition: Clear to 5', Green, much floating debris
Date: May 28, 2000

Report

Good fishing all the way around. Caught two nice wild/holdover trout to 14" on Power Bait (rainbow bait and charteuse Power Nuggets) rigged on an Adjust-a-Bubble filled with water; drifted with the current from shore. Caught several smaller rainbows on a Yo-Zuri Pin's Minnow ("parr" pattern) and a jointed Rapala J 11 RT.

As an aside,the trout I caught on the Rapala was only about 11"- so much for "big baits catch big fish."

Action was slow, but consistent, and the lake was absolutely swamped with people after about 8AM in the morning. The bigger trout were spitting up Power Bait (not mine- some in other colors) and adult caddisflies, for those so inclined.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: fishfong@aol.com
Location: American river
Weather: hot
Water_condition: clear
Date: 05/26/00

Report

Went shad fishing for a couple of hours this morning before work. Only caught two squaw fish, and no shad! It may be a week to early, I will try again in a couple days. I fish a hot hole by watt ave, their have been some good reports this week by the H street bridge. The schools are small, but soon they will start to arrive in large numbers and start to stack up! Good Luck Alan

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River-Discovery Park, North
Weather: Overcast, Hot and Humid
Water_condition: Low and Clear
Date: May 24, 2000

Report

I QUIT - Too Hectic...I fished yesterday, Tuesday, May 23, 2000, with Fred Hicks and Ron Retzlaff. It was very hot and humid because of the overcast. We caught over 120 stripers, 42 of which were keepers up to 9 lbs. Most keeper stripers were in the 20" - 22" range with some 5 and 6 pounders, and some around 18" to 19". I mean, we had lots of action. Started off with 22 lbs. of sardines. We used sardine filets and it was almost gone by 11:00 a.m. We had to call Ron's wife and have her pick up another 20 lbs. of sardines and bring it to us. We met her at the boat ramp around noon, picked up the sardines, and headed back to the fishing "hole". Yes, everything in the river likes sardine filets.

We fished upriver of Discovery Park on the Sacramento River. Started at 6:00 a.m. and quit at 6:00 p.m. Fished right in the middle of the river with 1 oz. of weight. Water has cleared from the weekend, is now 73 degrees, and the little fish are real active and agressive. Two of the keeper stripers were recently tagged by DFG. 90% of the fish were spawned out with a few males still "squirting". That's it for me for this spring run. I'm done fishing locally and will be heading for the bays to catch sturgeon for the next two weeks or so. Then, I'll mix in delta black bass, bay halibut and ocean salmon for my fishing "fixes".

If you plan on fishing local stripers a little longer, and plan to use sardines, I suggest you buy at least twice the amount you would normally buy. You may also try fishing at night to eliminate some of the small fish bites.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: HOTTTTTT
Water_condition: clear and warm
Date: 05/22/00

Report

Fished the delta today and did pretty good. Caught bass on flukes and zipper worms. Only flipped for a little while, we were trying to catch some big bass on reaction baits. The largest going around five pounds. Had a lot of blow up's on the frog , but they weren't to agressive. We missed most of the frog bites. The moss is starting to grow as the weather warms up, be ready for a good frog season! Good Luck Alan

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River North of Discovery Park
Weather: Hot, Hot, HOT!
Water_condition: Low and a little Off Color
Date: May 22, 2000

Report

Boy, the boaters do not give the anchored fishermen respect. Rockin' and Rollin' this weekend. Striper fishing locally, Discovery Park, north....Saturday, May 20 - Four of us caught 6 stripers to 9 lbs. We lost 3 nice ones and missed a couple of take downs. The bite was early in the morning, before 8:30 a.m. Then, the bite died for about 4 hours. Hooked two more stripers around 1:00 p.m., but lost them. Very light bite today. I saw stripers spawning on the surface around me, which might have been the reason the bite shut down. There wasn't even junk bites. Quit at 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 21...A REAL GOOD DAY OF CATCHING - Three of us caught 23 stripers to 15# and several shakers. Lots of action! Several more of the stripers were in the 9 to 12 lb. range. Good action all day, Quit at 3:00 p.m. The spawn in that area of the river must have completed overnight. The stripers were feeding heavily today. They were full of chum. Again, I used sardine filets, whole side split and folded on a 7/0 hook, 1 oz. of weight, and fished in the middle of the river where there is more current.

Sunday was so good I'm trying to get another Tuesday off tomorrow. Maybe this run, with the spawned out fish biting (there are lots of fish upriver which will have to come back this way), will continue a little longer. Most new fish this weekend were males, squirting all over. That's it for the report on the local striper run. Keep your lines wet and good luck catching - Mark.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Silver Lake
Weather: Fair
Water_condition: Clear to 12'+
Date: May 21, 2000

Report

Went to the northeast shore (after fishing just one away from my limit at Caples) to check it out since the road to that side is open. Trout from planter size to whopper (I saw fish in the water, both browns and rainbows, to 30") are schooled up in coves that have deep bottoms and some drop offs.

Fished Rebel Wee Crawfish in orange and lt. brown, Yo-zuri Pin's Minnow in redside and trout alevin (hatchling) patterns got some distant follows. The worms were again good for some fish. The Rapala gold/black CD-7 was the "it" lure of the day. It probably got hit every other time I cast it. Did a lot of catch and release trying to get one of the bigger trout to hit my lures/bait.

Problem was that every time I got one of the big ones interested in my bait (the Rapala, mostly), some trout about 14" - 18" size would come and take it right out from under the big one. Then, of course that would spook all the nearby fish and I'd have to start the stalking process all over again. Finally, 15" rainbow hit the Rapala and fouled it eye quite badly, so I took my limit and released the next fish (I also had a worm in the water) and went home at around 1:00 PM.

Interesting: I saw a ton of smaller fish, but they were not interested in either any lurs I tossed, or the worms.

Name: Daren P.
Email: dp75dreamn@aol.com
Location: Folsom Lake
Weather: Hot
Water_condition: clear -- 16 foot visibility
Date: 5/21/00

Report

Well Alan said I should post my reports here. I fished the Golden State Bass Tournament on 5/21 at Folsom Lake. Windy in the morning. managed to get a 5 fish limit for only 6.72 pounds... At least I wasn't last!! Couple of guys caught 6 pounders on Zara Spooks in the morning. Winning weight was 16 pounds and was caught by a father and son team who were fishing lizards and worms along the steep canyon walls in the 5MPH zone of the south fork. Lots of boat traffic. Lots of fish in the 16-30 foot range holding on rock piles. Not too many fish in the willows so not much of a fluke bite. Slow presentations are a must. Water temps are 68-72 degrees and clarity is up to 16 feet depending where you are. LOOK OUT FOR WOOD DEBRIS ON THE LAKE CAUSE THE WATER IS COMING UP FAST AND THERE IS A LOT OF DEBRIS. Oh by the way all the fish were released at Dyke 8, (Folsom Point) boat ramp.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Caples Lake
Weather: Fair, Calm
Water_condition: Cold, greenish stain
Date: May 21, 2000

Report

Fished down by the west dam from about 5:15 am till 10:45 am. Had a lot of success with half a night crawler under a bobber, and caught 4 fish, all browns between 6 and 9. Two were holdovers between 14 and 16 inches and two were recent plants about 12". Tried 1/80th and 1/32 oz. red/white tubes, Rebel Wee Crawdad, hoping to get some catch and release in, but the fish wouldn't take a look. Many anglers started showing up around 9:00, and nobody had any kind of consistent bite after 9:30.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Caples Lake
Weather: Fair, Calm
Water_condition: Cold, Greenish stain
Date: May 20, 2000

Report

Fished late evening with large topwater plugs in search of big browns, no luck. Not much surface action, either. I was down by the west dam.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Red Lake
Weather: Fair, Calm to slight breeze
Water_condition: Cold, clear
Date: May 20, 2000

Report

Fished early evening hours, no luck 1 strike w/ worms and a variety of small spinners. Did see a fellow with a nice (26"+) cutthroat, which he caught on a 1/4 oz. Kastmaster.

Name: Telstar Charters
Email: telstarcharters@prodigy.net
Location: Fort Bragg
Weather: Great wind 10 mph little foggy
Water_condition: Good
Date: 05/20/00

Report

Fished just 2 miles north of the mouth of the Noyo River, only 20 minutes from the dock. We had 18 salmon today with the 2 largest going 23lbs. We were trolling with hoochies and bait. The water depth was 240' and lines were out about 20 to 60 feet. The weather conditions should hold out for the next couple of days, and hopefully the salmon will too. Have great fishing! Charan

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River north of Discovery Park
Weather: Overcast All Day and 10-15 MPH Wind
Water_condition: Low and Slightly Off Color
Date: May 17, 2000

Report

Took another Tuesday vacation day to "catch" the last few weeks of the local striper run. We had a real good day. Fished with a new aquaintance by the name of Ron Ratzlaff, who I met on the river while fishing. We shared ideas and techniques in catching stripers. There was a lot of "fish talk" this day. Back to fishing....Used sardine filets all day. He tied the bait on, I half hitched the bait on. 1 oz. of weight in the middle of the river (slow flow). He fished 12# test and I fished 20# test. Light rods in the 6-1/2' to 7-1/2' range (Both G-Loomis). The bite was slow in the early morning until the tide changed to outgoing around 6:45 a.m. We had a lot of "junk" bites and caught a three squawfish, one steelhead, and several small stripers. Then, after the tide changed to outgoing, and all the way through the outgoing tide, the junk bites slowed down and we started catching keeper striped bass up to 10 lbs. Ron and I boated 18 keeper stripers, lost a couple, and missed numerous opportunities, because the stripers either dropped the bait or we missed on the "swing". It was a real good day. Another friend of mine, Jess Walters and his friend found me upstream this day. They asked if they could fish beside me. Of course, the answer was yes. They caught some stripers too, but then, Jess hooked into a sturgeon around mid afternoon. Middle of the river, good current and a big fish on. I advised them to "throw the anchor", and downstream they went. About 1/2 hour later they returned with a sturgeon of approximately 55-58 inches long, weighing around 30 lbs. or so. Caught on a G-Loomis steelhead rod, Shimano Calcutta baitcasting reel, and 15# test line. They left right after catching the sturgeon. Another couple named Tammy and Art showed up, and fished right in Jess's spot. They started catching stripers too. The bite slowed down after the change of the tide to incoming. Ron and I left a couple of hours later, realizing we had a "pretty" good day of "catching". Good quality fish in the 6-10 lb. range.

I have to thank my "boss" for letting me have the day off to fish. I am planning to fish upriver again this weekend, but with the weather forecast, watch out for the "yachtzees". It will be rockin' and rollin'.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lake Berryessa
Weather: Rainy, 60 degrees
Water_condition: Slightly cloudy, faint greenish stain
Date: May 14, 2000

Report

Caught and released some Smallmouth Bass on large minnows (they didn't like the small ones for some reason), and hooked another on a Rapala SR-5 S (silver/black shad rap). Tried like the devil to find trout and salmo from shore, but no luck. Will bring back a report from the High Sierra and Pardee for next weekend. Nearly a full moon, maybe try for browns and lakers at Caples during the night.

Name: Aggressor Adventures
Email: fish-on@pacbell.net
Location: Bodega Bay
Weather: Ok
Water_condition: Good
Date: 5/16/00

Report

Today the Salmon fishing just got better. As I speak the boats are having a lot of luck 3 miles out. They are mostly trolling with rotary killer and apex lures still. They have been using 3lb weights with sinker releases. The Rock Cod action is getting better when the weather is good. They have been getting limits on the North side of Cordell Banks. Lots of Lings up to 18-20lbs. Near shore Rock Cod is not that great right now. The shore fisherman have been getting a great bite of perch on the inside of the Jetty. They are using Pile worms mostly. Happy Fishing Shauna

Name: Alan Fong
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Cloudy with Lite rain
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 05/15/00

Report

Fished the Delta with Chad a friend of mine who now understands what shallow fishing is. Today was a very good day for bass fishing. We both lost some real nice bass in the 5-6# range. We caught over 25 bass with the best seven for a team tournament, our weight was around 20#s. If we had landed any of the ones we lost we could of had 25#s. Buzz baits and Flukes in the morning produced the most hits. Mid morning the Flukes, spinnerbaits, and frogs were working the best. The bass were real tight to the cover and sitting in one foot of water. We used a new spinnerbait called Pro Assassinator, it worked great. I have found that most of the bass are not spawned out yet. Good luck!

Name: Alan Fong
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Cloudy with Lite rain
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 05/15/00

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Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River North of Discovery Park
Weather: Cloudy/Overcast
Water_condition: A Little Off Color
Date: May 15, 2000

Report

The Striper Run is continuing....I fished on the Sacramento River above Discovery Park (BE CAREFUL! SHALLOW WATER AT THE RAMP WITH A COUPLE OF STUMPS). The striper bite is still going. A lot of spawned out fish are showing in the catch. A lot of decent fish in the 8 to 12 pound range. Best bite this weekend was in the early morning and again around noon (Beginning and end of the outgoing tide). Water has dropped substantially to only 5.4' at I Street. I'm still using sardine filets and only 1 oz. of weight right now. The river flow is less and the water has shallowed by another 2' since last week. The larger stripers are biting light. And, there are a lot of little fish starting to bite with the slower water. A tip...Watch the bite, if it is not one of the "junk" fish bites, pick up the rod and work the sinker on and off bottom a little (like walking the bait downstream). You have to use just the right amount of weight that is not to heavy, but still holds you on bottom. If it is a keeper striper, it will take the bait right away after walking the bait a few times.

I still plan on fishing the stripers locally for another 1-2 weeks. Usually, about the end of May, I'm done with the Sacramento spring striper run. That's it for Saturday and Sunday. There are still fish out there. Go get some. Try and release the females that have not spawned.

Name: WongRanger
Email: WongRanger@hotmail.com
Location: Sac/Amer, River
Weather: windier than windy, then calm at 7pm
Water_condition: fair and fast
Date: May 10, 2000

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I'm tired of waiting around for the wind to die down so I met my fishin buddy and webber Big Al P. at the MOUTH. We tried the shad action for a while until I noticed not a shad caught when the going was great. I immediately mentioned to Big Al, "It's Time for Stripers!" Let's give it a try on the line. I had this weird feeling come over me... I had to cater to it. As soon as we got to the line, Al dropped his spoon in 15 feet of water and I followed right behind him. We both were bit almost at the same time. His fish went up stream and mine down. Al's fish was at least 25 plus. Mine was 18 #s as I dragged it up stream chasing his fish. Al was screaming,"I running out of line in the reel!" So started chasing it with the troller. His fish was hauling ass. "Dang fish! yelled Al, got away, s----. I landed mine and whipped back to our hole. Immediately, we got fish on again. This time he landed a 20 #er and I a 15 #er. Another sweep and I landed a third (12 #er). The next sweep I had one but got off. 25 minutes passed and they disappeared. We searched but no luck. Man alive I have had this much excitement since January. (pictures in message board, check it out!) Good luck and fish you. The WongRanger Rides Again.....

Name: WongRanger
Email: WongRanger@hotmail.com
Location: Sac/Amer, River
Weather: windier than windy, then calm at 7pm
Water_condition: fair and fast
Date: May 10, 2000

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Name: norm
Email: pajaro@gateway.net
Location: Monterey Bay
Weather: onshore wind
Water_condition: bumpy
Date: 5/10/00

Report

Headed out of Moss at 5:15am. Put out a blue/white apex starting around 2 miles out @ 250 degrees. Dodging commercial boats for about 10 minutes had the first fish. Second came almost as easy and before sunrise! 14# and 20#.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River-Discovery Park Area
Weather: Cloudy AM and Sunny PM
Water_condition: Rishing and getting Dirty
Date: May 10, 2000

Report

Fished stripers again on Tuesday, May 9, 2000...Fished above Discovery Park from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The morning bite was good. Caught 9 stripers, one at 20#, and the rest from 4# down. 4 or 5 shakers too. Used sardines for bait. 2 oz. of weight still, but water is on a slight rise and getting dirty with debris from the recent rain runoff. The bite lasted until about 10 a.m. when it shut down to "junk" bites. The 3 of us lost a couple of fish, probably not bigger than 4-5 lbs. and we missed a couple of "starts".

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lake Pardee
Weather: Light Rain, Calm
Water_condition: Clear to Slightly Cloudy
Date: May 7, 2000

Report

Fished Woodpile Gulch from 7:00 - 11:00 AM and caught many bass and bluegill on mini-nightcrawlers (live). Two of the largemouths were real nice fish (15"+) and I released just about everything I caught. The bluegill looked really wierd, with very pale coloration. Tried other artificials, mostly topwater plugs and crankbaits, but the bass would just follow them in.

Fished the north spillway from 12:00 to 3:00 for these monster trout I could see foraging in water so shallow sometimes their tails and dorsal fins stuck out. Never did catch the big ones I could see, no matter what I put on the end of my line. Did manage to interest some smaller specimens (which were hiding in submergent vegetation and not feeding in 6" of water) into following a #2 Mepp's Silver Aglia, but they wouldn't take it. Switched to micro-jigs (1/80th oz. red/white) and bagged a little planter right away. Settled for one on the day and used the excellent Pardee fish cleaning facilities.

Point of interest: On the East shore by the North spillway, the floating grass, driftwood, etc. was coated with millions of smallish pale eggs that were clearly adhesive. I don't know what kind of fish spawns like that, but the eggs were almost as big as trout or salmon eggs. If anybody knows what spawns in Pardee this time of year (Bass should be done, not warm enough for bluegill??) please e-mail me.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lower Bear Reservoir
Weather: Rainy, Dusk/Dark
Water_condition: Light Chop, Cold
Date: May 6, 2000

Report

Gave one last lake a chance (Caples was still iced out), and scored a 13" Brown trout on a Rebel Wee Crawdad in a lighter craw pattern. Covered quite a bit of ground and got this one for about 45 minutes work. I probably should have just gone to Lower Bear. I just had to try to get the big browns at the high lakes after ice out and before stocking. Can't fish next weekend up Carson Pass, so better luck next year...

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Silver Lake
Weather: Snowing, Breezy to Windy
Water_condition: Iced out, Heavy Chop, Very Clear
Date: May 6, 2000

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Tried to get over to the east side of the lake, but it was still snowed in too deep. Talked with a gent at ferguson Point park ho said he saw some guys earlier in the day (probably before the front rolled in) leave with nice stringers of browns to 8 pounds. His third hand report claimed they were to be caught in/around the inlet at the PG & E campground by Kay's Resort. Tried many artificials with no luck for 2 hours. The area seemed pretty shallow, and I didn't see any fish. They may have just gone deep when the bad weather blew in.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Red Lake
Weather: Snowy, Gusts to 40 mph
Water_condition: Iced out, whitcaps
Date: May 6, 2000

Report

Tried to throw 1/2 oz. Kastmaster into the wind for about 20 min. Wind was too erratic and strong for any decent casting and I froze my sorry butt off. I finally found weather couldn't fish.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: cloudy
Water_condition: cloudy & 70 degrees
Date: 05/08/2000

Report

Had a very good day black bass fishing in the delta. Fished in Disappointment slough and Middle River, caught a lot of bass on buzz baits and flukes. Caught ten bass averging between 3-4 pounds and a lot of small ones too. Lost three other nice bass and one was over 6 pounds on a buzz bait, just came unhooked. Didn't see any bass on beds but I am sure there were some somewhere. We also flipped some bass too on zipper worms and PRO brush hogs.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River above Discovery Park
Weather: Cloudy - Sprinkles and Rain
Water_condition: Clear
Date: May 8, 2000

Report

Saturday, May 6, 2000...Fished above Discovery Park again on the Sacramento River. Why not, I've had a good bite going for the past month. Anyway, 5 of us caught 15 stripers to 13#, 10#, 9#, 8# with an assortment of shakers too. Sardine filets. 2 oz. of weight in 11' of water. Water level holding and very clear for the Sacramento. The best bite was in the morning from sunup through about 9:30 a.m. Bite again picked up after 1 p.m. It seemed that the early morning is good, no matter what tide your're on and again half way through the outgoing tide. Quit at 3:30 p.m. because of rain and wind. Good striper action this day. Stripers are still on a very light bite. Watch all bites, they may turn into a good bite.

Sunday, May 7, 2000.....Fished the same area again. 2 of us caught 9 stripers to 10# and several shakers. The bite was real, real light today. I personally missed about 20 take downs, including breaking off one hook. My friend must have missed 3 or 4 too. Rained all day, but no wind. It was sure nice not to have the bathing beauties riding around all day. We probably did not have more than 10 boaters go by on Saturday and about 2 on Sunday. Again, best bite in the early morning and then again after 1 p.m. Maybe because of the lack of boat traffic, the fish were not as spooked and on a better bite. Sardine filets again on 2 oz. of weight. Some other boats around me this weekend and they caught fish also.

Probably going to fish up here for another 1-2 weeks, then move to the bay for halibut and the delta for black bass. I'm catching about 1/3 spawned out fish now. I'm not sure what these rains are going to do to the river. Maybe a rise coming, but we'll see. If the river comes up too much then the last of the run will be wiped out.

That's the same old story. Good luck, and if you can, release those females - Mark.

Name: zac patania
Email: hotfishin.com
Location: lake berryessa
Weather: partly cloudy 65f
Water_condition: little murky high
Date: 4/29/00

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Got on the lake at 6.45 and right off the bat the fishing was outstanding my third cast I hooked up with about a 5 pounder useing a carolina rigged green weenie. had a lot of success with this rig throughout the day.Fished until no more light. overall I caught and realeased about 20 large and small mouth bass to 6 pounds mostly males waiting for those lunker females to start showing themselves. well good luck to all you fisherman.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River above Discovery Park
Weather: Warm, Light Breeze
Water_condition: Clearing, and on a slight rise.
Date: May 2, 2000

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Tuesday, May 2, 2000...Fished above Discovery Park again. The 4 of us had lots of action in the morning (end of income and first of outgoing tides). We caught 15 keeper stripers to 7 lbs. (one tagged female and the rest mostly males). And, we lost some, missed some, and caught several shakers. The late morning through the afternoon bite quit on us. Only "junk" bites in the afternoon. Two other boats around us caught a couple of fish each around 8 - 9 lbs. Haven't caught any "big" (15lbs. or better) fish here in over 2 weeks. Sardine filets were the bait of choice. Other than the morning bite, not much else to talk about.

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Windy
Water_condition: 62 degrees & cloudy
Date: 05/01/00

Report

Went to the delta with Dave a friend of mine. Dave just purchased a new Trition 20ft bass boat with a mercury optimax 200hp. The boat handled nice and was very comfortable to fish out of. We fished the north side of the delta and found fishing to be kinda tough. We boated 17 bass fishing most of the day with the largest going three pounds. Most were caught on black spinnerbaits. Friends of mine have informed me that there are a lot of stripers in the San Joquin river. They have been cranking rattle traps in 5 to 10 feet of water, on the sand bars. The striprers have been averaging 8-15 pounds. Next week when I get a chance to go I am going to try to catch some of these large Stripers. Good Luck, Alan

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Upriver of Discovery Park
Weather: Warm
Water_condition: Still a little dirty
Date: May 1, 2000

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Saturday and Sunday (4-29 & 4-30)...I'm still catching fish upriver of Sacramento. Spawned out stripers are starting to show. Caught 4 this weekend out of a total of 20 keeper stripers to 10 lbs. Some shakers, misses and lost fish also. BUT, THE BOAT TRAFFIC IS HORRENDOUS FROM ABOUT 11:00 a.m. THROUGH 5:00 p.m. Those *#$&# boaters have no courtesy or common sense. No where to go and a short time to get there. There were even some fishermen with the same mentality, but I will give them the "benefit of the doubt" once, because they probably had catching a big fish on their mind.

Anyway, back to fishing. All fish caught on sardine filets. Still a very light bite. Most of my fish were "action fish" and were between 3 - 5 lbs. 75% of the fish were caught on the outgoing tide in the morning. The afternoon outgoing tide produced a few more. Incoming tide just slowed to hardly any bites (mostly "junk" bites) at all. Water is 62 degrees and still a little dirty. I'm catching fish in 10' of water using 2 oz. of weight. The fish schools are moving through fast. When they come through, the bite and action picks up. When they have passed, it is done for a while. You have to be in the right "slot" to catch the fish. I see other boaters around me not catching fish. This weekend I parked the boat in one place and waited for the fish.

Going again tomorrow. Hope the boat traffic isn't as bothersome. Oh, just a note. A couple, named Ron & Charlotte were fishing next to me on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, about midday, Charlotte hooked into a very large sturgeon. It went up the river and then down the river. They chased it until they couldn't budge the fish off the bottom. Ron intentionally broke off the line. They said it was way too big, and with a smile, re-anchored and started fishing again. About 5 minutes went by and Charlotte, yep again, hooked into another very large sturgeon. Yes, they chased it down the river. It went around several objects and finally broke off around a 5 MPH buoy. They re-anchored and started catching stripers again. Charlotte liked catching those stripers (they landed about 25 over the two days) because she could get them into the boat. What a story, huh? Just ask Ron?

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lower Bear Reservoir
Weather: Clear, Warm (70 deg)
Water_condition: Cold, Clear to 8', 20' from spillway
Date: April 30, 2000

Report

Had several promising follows on a variety of shallow running plugs (mostly rapala's), but the fish would either see me and spook, or strike short. Fished from 4pm to 6pm, and by and large it was tough. water is much higher than it was. Many fish can be seen jumping, but I think a boat is required to effectively fish them. 3 weeks ago, you could reach that spot by the 1st dam from shore, but now its too far for anything but a Kastmaster. Almost anything striking close to shore is under 6" long. Walked a lot of shoreline by the dams and I didn't see anyone having any luck. Saw a guy in a boat pull a couple our, looked like he was trolling a piece of crawler behind blades. Happy hunting until next weekend!

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Silver Lake
Weather: Clear, 60 degrees
Water_condition: partly iced, very cold, low
Date: April 30, 2000

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Lake is still iced over from about Kay's resort all the way to the narrows at Treasure Island. I still tried though. Fished out a Ferguson Point picnic area where it looked like there might be some structure under open water, no luck with a 8" rainbow imitation or a variety of small plugs (< 3" long) or gold, silver & black balck bladed spinners in various colors from 1/18 oz to 1/4 oz. Conducted an informal survey of shore anglers in the vicinity of the dam and Kay's, only shallow areas were free of ice and no one had any fish.

On my way back over the pass, observed a large amount of open water from the north side of Treasure Island to Plasse' Resort. Road to Plasse' is still snowed in, but there is room to park at the gate. Hiked in to the south shore, lots of open water, but it is mostly shallow. Tried a variety of spinners with no luck. Hiked the west shoreline for about 2 miles with no better luck, even though the water got a little deeper. The standard lure arrangement of small spinners, spoons and plugs didn't get so much as a nibble, even in the deep water areas. No surface activity either.

By the way, the hike out to the freeway is a tough one through the snow. Watch and listen while you hike, I only fell through one bad snow bridge into the buried creek!

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Caples Lake
Weather: Clear, 60 deg
Water_condition: Iced over
Date: April 30, 2000

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Caples is still basically completely iced over and unfishable. My guess is that the area by the west dam will be free first in about 2 weeks. The fish won't turn on for a week after that, if today was any indication of how this "ice out" phenomena works.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Red Lake
Weather: Clear, +/-60 deg.
Water_condition: Mostly iced over
Date: April 30, 2000

Report

Lake was mostly iced over, with a few areas of clear water. You have to hike through the snow to get to most of it, and I never did see a fish (or catch one, or even get a hit). Heads up to the hiker/backcountry types, there was lots of very fresh mountain lion sign. Talked to some folks at the dam who had broken a hole in the ice with some large rocks, they were using bait and hadn't gotten bit either. I tried small plugs and spinners for about 2 hours.

Name: Aggressor Adventures Sportfishing
Email: fish-on@pacbell.net
Location: Bodega Bay
Weather: 10-20knts
Water_condition: clear
Date: 4/30/00

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Salmon fishing is still good if you can get out. We are still catching them around the weather bouy. The weather is predicted to come down in the next couple days. Shore fisherman are doing great on the perch from Wrights Beach and the breakwater. They are using #8 hooks and pile worms. They are also starting to pick up a couple Halibut from the jetty rocks. Even though the wind is blowing a bit you are getting a lot of fish from the shore. ROCK COD season is opening tomorrow and the weather is getting better. We will give you rock cod updates as soon as they come out. Happy Fishing Shauna

Name: Craig Kamikawa
Email: Kamikaze@gotnet.net
Location: Garcia Bend
Weather: Light Breeze and Warm
Water_condition: Warming (61.5 degrees) and Clearing
Date: April 27, 2000

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Fished at night again after work and caught four fish to 13#. We had 2-10# fish, 1-11# fish and the 13# fish. Filleted sardines worked the best. We had frozen shad but it didn't produce for us at all, even though there was a lot of bait in the water surfacing in the lantern light. The bite was very light in the beginning and the last two fish were almost suicide hits. I have found that the outgoing tide is better and has been producing the larger fish.

Name: Shauna Harbarth
Email: fish-on@pacbell.net
Location: Bodega Bay
Weather: Breeze 10-15kts varriable
Water_condition: good
Date: 4/27/00

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Our 65' "New Aggressor" had a great day fishing today with 25 limits of salmon up to 18lbs. We are fishing 12 miles out next to the Bodega Bay weather bouy. We are trolling now with rotary killers and apex lures. The hot colors seem to be bright orange and green. Trolling seems to be the ticket right now but we will let you know when we start mouching and if it is successful. We know there are a lot of fisherman bringing their boats out that need a little tip on where the fish are. Our captains Rick and Mike are always available on channel 77 for fishing and weather info. Feel free to call while you are out there. Happy Fishing! Shauna, "Aggressor Adventure", Bodega Bay

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River above Discovery Park
Weather: Very Nice and Mild
Water_condition: Clearing, Dropping and Warming
Date: April 26, 2000

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Well I fished again Tuesday, April 25, 2000. Four of us boated 14 stripers to 9 lbs. along with an assortment of shaker stripers. Most of them were in the 3-5 lb. range. Fished upriver of Discovery Park, away from the other boats. Water is dropping, clearing and warming (62 degrees). Fished 7 different spots (came back to a couple of the same spots at a different time of the tide). By far, the early morning, before 8:30 and late afternoon from 4 - 6 p.m. were the best bites for us. Both of those bites were towards or at the end of the outgoing tide. Sardine filets again. One whole side, split down the middle, folded skin to skin to expose meat on both sides on a 7/0 or 8/0 hook. Fishing 20# test line and leader on 8' Loomis Rods. Changed the bait every 15-20 minutes whether it needed it or not. Sorry guys, bought some of your bait. We went through 21 LBS. of sardines. Used all but one filet.

I told you I would pass on an observation and after yesterday, I'm convinced it well help get you more bites. When the bite slowed down, two of us went to "walking" the bait periodically. It did produce 5 of the keeper stripers we caught. Walking the bait consisted of periodically picking up the rod, pulling back on the rod slightly (about 1-2'), and then bounce the sinker back (use just enough weight to hold you on bottom in the current) on bottom. Repeat around a dozen times or so. Do this about every 5 - 10 minutes. I believe the movement of the bait attracts the stripers and invites them to take your offering. There were times when we had a "start", but no takers. When we started walking the bait, within one or two minutes one of us would feel the pick up and a striper would take off with it. Again, this happened several times. The stripers are still on a light bite (a slight nibble then a lean-follow the bite down, let the rod "load", and set the hook) and it seems that the outgoing tide is best for the bite right now.

Another thing I'm doing is moving to different spots to try and find the "right bite". If there is no bite at all, or I'm getting eaten by "junk" fish, or if there is a lot of fishing pressure (other boats), I move. I try and find more current, deeper water, closer to the bank, middle of the river, or somewhere I can get a bite started. Yesterday I made 7 moves. Two of the moves produced 12 fish at the same location on about the same time of the tide at two different times of the day. The other two fish came from one location, two different times of the day, but about the same part of the tide. The other moves did not produce any fish at all. If the bite is slow, I practice moving a lot. But there are a lot of other ways of being successful at catching fish. Everyone can catch fish their own way. I like catching "lots" of fish (catch and release). The most important thing is to have your bait in the water.

Name: Tri Pham
Email: Tripham1@altervista.com
Location: Freeport
Weather: beautiful
Water_condition: medium flow
Date: 4-23-00

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I saw something last evening that I thought to be real noteworthy. A friend of my and his son were bank fishing in Freeport near hood. Using ghost shrimps and light tackle they were out for stripers shortly after 6pm. A few hours later and a half dozen or so shakers they called it quit and were begining to pack up to leave for home, when suddenly, like out of a fishing show, his reel " sang out " with the peeling of lines. Dragged set, pole in hand, he began the fight. Half hour into this tug of war, the beast finally gave us a glimse and clue to what it was. " Sturgen at your 10, about 45-55 yards out!! " Fear and excitement set in all at once. Will his 15pd tested line hold up, and if it did, will he have enough line to wear out the beast?

Name: Alan (Fisherman's Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Feather River
Weather: Mild
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 04/24/2000

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Fished the Feather River for Stripers today with a couple of friends of mine and it was red HOT! We caught 11 Stripers up to 13#s with most of the stripers going around 3-4#s. Most of the stripers are males right now, but the larger female stripers will soon follow. The females should be starting to show up in the next few weeks. The Sacto river came up alittle last week and it shut off the striper action alittle. The Feather river is the best place to fish when the Sacto river raises. One good thing about the Feather river is you do not have to fish on the out going tide. The Feather river is always moving, not like the Sacto river where it is best to fish the out going tide. Today I ran up the Feather river about 2 miles up from the mouth. Fish the 10-12 foot holes and anchor up on the top of the holes, the Stripers usually will hang around the top of the holes. Good Luck Alan

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Discovery Park Area - Sacramento River
Weather: Saturday-Clouds & Sprinkles; Sunday-Warm and Clear
Water_condition: Still Dirty but Starting to Drop
Date: April 24, 2000

Report

Saturday (4-22) - Not a very good "catching" weekend. Fished above Discovery Park again. I like it now because there is not as much fishing pressure upstream and it is economically correct. Fished sardines again and caught only 3 keeper stripers at 8#, 5# and 20". There were a few shakers caught also. Generally slow, but signs of improving. River starting to drop. Saw other fish caught around me up to 15#.

Sunday (4-23) - Fished 1/2 day in the same area. Caught 2 stripers at 4# and 21". Sardine filets still. Other fish caught around me to 12#. We missed 4 fish and caught several shakers. The bite is still "light". A light tap or nibble, a slight lean, and the fish is there, set the hook! The water dropped 1/2 foot from Saturday and is starting to clear a little. Water warmed 2 more degrees to 60 degrees. Not as much debris in the river. More bites. Looks like the striper bite should pick up again. I'll try again on Tuesday.

PS - I've made some recent observations on catching stripers. I'm planning on practicing them this week. Two of us will do something different from each other, for comparison, and to see if it really makes a difference. If it does, I'll make a report of these observations next report. They are pretty simple.

Name: David & DeMorris Capps
Email: cappsd@earthlink.net
Location: feather river
Weather: clear-lite wind-70 degrees
Water_condition: clear
Date: 04/25/00

Report

Had a great time catching stripers ranging in size from 12.4 to 9.7 lbs. Caught our limit in only 2 and a half hours thanks to your knowledgeable fishing buddy. We used sardines for bait and a rubber band. Don't laugh. I didn't know what they were talking about but it sure worked for us. THANKS ALAN you did it again.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Pardee Reservoir
Weather: clear, high 60s-low 70s
Water_condition: very clear
Date: Aprill 23, 2000

Report

Fished with company (two other people) from about 8 - 2:30 From bank near Woodpile Gulch. On person caught 1 chunky planter on Power Bait. I had a 2'+ fish follow a hammered silver and blue Dardevle all the way in but not hit. Had a 16" fish on the same lure, but it threw the hook. Other person had two hook-ups with decent sized trout on a spinner, but they got away, too. Generally a slow day, I think we got out on the lake way too late.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lower Bear Reservoir
Weather: High 30s- low 40s, foggy, drizzle
Water_condition: clear, up 5-6' from 4/8
Date: April 22,2000

Report

Fished lots, fished many different things- worms, eggs, plugs, spoons, spinners, power bait. Got a couple of visible follows, that's it. Weather was terrible, which didn't help. Went up to Silver Lake and it looks like one or two more weeks till ice out there.

Name: Bat Batsford Bay Area Tuna Club
Email: sbats@best.com
Location: West Coast Albacore
Weather: Fair (We Hope)
Water_condition: Mild
Date: 4/23/00

Report

From the Bay Area Tuna Club, see us at <<http://www.batsford.net/tuna>> Our 2000 West Coast Albacore Season Prediction was just posted. click on the Tuna Forcast Button on the left side of our Home Page. Our predictions have been running a 90 percent correct factor for the past 20 years.

Name: Roy Akers
Email: kiwi1@ulink.net
Location: Sacto / American color line
Weather: sunny and calm
Water_condition: not a factor
Date: 4/22/00

Report

We dropped the hook at 6:15am, Friday. There were schools of fish moving past us throughout the day. We boated 5 fish including one shaker using sardines - all males. We saw a couple of big hens landed, close to 20 lbs. This is what it's all about: 2 pks of sardines. . . $5.00, Abu-Garcia 6501 reel. . . $75.00, watching your 6 year old son catch his first striper. . . priceless!

Name: jason garcia
Email: jason2@iwon.com
Location: antioch pier
Weather: sunny and windy
Water_condition: fiar
Date: 4/21/00

Report

it all started by using 1 whole sardine with a 3/0 hook.then i gave it a good cast then i got one big bite then i yanked the pole as hard as i could i started top reel in the fish and it was getting heavy.when i got it up to the peir i was shocked it was a catfish thatwas 35inches long and was 23.56 pounds.

Name: WongRanger
Email: WongRanger@hotmail.com
Location: KING'S ISLAND
Weather: clearing,some clouds, windy up to 20mph
Water_condition: clearing and staining towards end of day
Date: Friday, Apr. 21, 00

Report

Fished yesterday and today. Can only talk phrases. Very slow fishing. Fished 6 to 7 hours per day. Landed 5 up to 3.5 lbs. Thursday. Landed 8 fish up to 1- 4 lbs. Only 3 nice bass caught in the last 3 days. So much for Easter Vacation. Try again Saturday. Wife and child away for basketball for 2 days. Yes, I can fish all day and all night for the next 2 days with energy to spare. I said a complete sentence, finally.

Name: Craig Kamikawa
Email: Kamikaze@gotnet.net
Location: Delta
Weather: Sunny in the morining, clouding in the afternoon
Water_condition: 2-3 feet of visibility
Date: April 19, 2000

Report

Water clarity was only about 2-3 feet and the temp started at 60.5 degrees and topped out in the afternoon at 64.2 degrees. Caught all small fish on traps on the outgoing tide. This tide was a mover, a six foot drop today. We flipped and pitched with no success. We did see a few fishermen flipping with great success. I guess we were in the wrong area. Fishing is on the slow side because of the recent storm front. Good luck.

Name: Craig Kamikawa
Email: Kamikaze@gotnet.net
Location: Garcia Bend
Weather: Clear and Calm
Water_condition: Stained and Rising
Date: April 19, 2000

Report

Still night fishing with filleted sardines but the males are getting a bit bigger. We had keepers and the disappointing thing about that night is that there was a sea lion in the river. It was only a pup but definitely enough to screw up fishing. Good luck.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Beardsley Reservoir
Weather: Cold, Cloudy, SW Breeze
Water_condition: Cold, Clear, Slight Chop
Date: April 15, 2000 4:30 PM- 12:30 AM

Report

Fished two sessions: 4:30 P-8:00 P-- Fished with Rapala G5, and nailed 2 nice rainbows (14"+). Switched to some other lures in Gold/Black vein but no luck, but many follows. Put some Power Bait in but the fish that popped it snapped the 1# leader. Among the lures that did not produce: Kastmaster, Yo-zuri Pin's Minnow (1/2 oz) Rainbow Trout, Yo-zuri Pin's Minnow (1/8 oz) in Brown Trout pattern.

10:30 P -12:30 A-- Went sight casting for big splashes and boils under the 2/3 moon when it was breaking through the clouds. Covered probably 1/4 mile of very unstable shoreline with a 4" Cabela's Livin-Eye Gold minnow. I only got one hit, but it resulted in a very fiesty 17" rainbow.

I'll bring back some more reports from the Sierras next weekend, location depending on ice-out conditions. Until then...

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Pinecrest
Weather: Cool (40s), Cloudy, SW breeze
Water_condition: Cold (presumably), Clear
Date: April 15, 2000 11:30 AM-3:00 PM

Report

Got 1 rainbow 14"+ on chartreuse Power Nuggets on a slip sinker. I didn't even know it was there until it got about 3' from shore. It felt like I was dragging a branch. Chunky holdover.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Tullock Reservoir
Weather: Cold, Partly Cloudy, Calm
Water_condition: 4-7' visibility, stained green
Date: April 15, 2000 6:20 AM-8:30 AM

Report

Fished down by the bridge over the Stanislaus arm. Used variety of spoons and plugs, salmon egg rigged on single hook w/ sliding bobber. Had 1 strike two promising follows and missed a chance to sight cast to real big trout (30"+). A guy came around with his kids and tossed some rocks of the cliff behind me at about 8:00 and the bite was totally non-existent after that.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Upriver of Discovery Park-Sacramento River
Weather: Saturday - GOOD; Sunday - Rain & Wind by Afternoon
Water_condition: Clear on still on slight rise
Date: April 17, 2000

Report

Saturday, April 15...Fished 3 different locations upriver of Discovery Park on the Sacramento River. Five of us caught 9 keeper stripers to 7 lbs., several shakers, missed a few, and one released "springer" salmon around 6 lbs. (It was a jumper). The striper bite has been light. Just a nibble, then a very slow lean or take down. Pick up the rod and follow the bite. When the rod loads, set the hook. Lots of "junk" bites in some locations. Had to move. Stayed with sardine filets. Small schools of fish moving through. River still on a slight rise. Up about 2' from last weekend. Still fishable with 2 oz. or less where I've been fishing. Some large logs and debris coming down. KEEP AN EYE OUT UPRIVER when you're fishing.

Sunday, April 16...Fished 4 different locations above Discovery Park. We had an early morning bite at one location, catching only two stripers to 6 lbs., lost one big one, probably over 15 lbs., and missed a couple. Other boats around us caught fish also. The bite seemed to move out into the current as it got later in the day. So, I moved and went upriver farther to "catch" the school that went through earlier. It worked somewhat. Had the river all to my self. We caught 2 other stripers to 8 lbs., missed a couple, lost two more, and caught several shakers. At least we got back into the bite. Fish are really light biting with the rising water. One of my keys is to find the right bite. You don't want to be eaten by squawfish and small stripers, nor do you want no bites at all. When this occurs, I look for another spot which I have caught fish. If you have a good bite and it turns off for an hour or so. Move upriver a mile or two to catch that same school coming through. Or, watch the tides. It may be a tide bite. Anyway, that is it for the weekend's catching. I'm going again tomorrow. Keep the bait in the water. Good luck, Mark.

Name: Craig Kamikawa
Email: Kamikaze@gotnet.net
Location: Garcia Bend
Weather: Windy & Rainy
Water_condition: Rising water
Date: April 16, 2000

Report

Went out tonight about 5pm fished local to the ramp because of weather. Used sardine fillets and about 4oz. of weight. Lots of bites but only one keeper weighing 13 pounds. We caught the tail end of the incoming tide and fished the first half of the outgoing. The fish came just after the flop. Good luck.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River - Local
Weather: Warm and NO WIND
Water_condition: Semi Clear and on the RISE!
Date: April 12, 2000

Report

Took a day off Tuesday, April 11th and fished local above Discovery Park. The Sacramento River is on a slight RISE of about one foot (Shasta and Oroville must be releasing more water. A rising river turns off stripers. It was slow all day, but we worked out 6 keeper stripers to 4 lbs. Lost one at the boat around 5-6 lbs. and missed a few other fish. Fished sardine filets again. After the river stabilizes or goes on a slight drop, the bite should pick up again.

Name: Alan (FIshermans Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: North wind 25mph
Water_condition: 62 degrees clear
Date: 04/10/00

Report

Fished the delta on monday. North wind was blowing 25mph. Caught over twenty five bass, seven fish were 3 to 4 lbs. Spinnerbaits and zipper worms did the trick. In the afternoon we caught a lot of bass on flukes in the weeds. Good luck Alan

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento Local
Weather: Saturday-Breezy; Sunday-Very Nice
Water_condition: Semi Clear
Date: April 10, 2000

Report

Saturday (4/8)...Fished upriver of Discover Park. Lots of "junk bites" early on the incoming tide. Only 1 keeper striper at 19". Stayed kind of slow until the change of tide to outgoing around 10:30 a.m. Water is clearing and still slightly dropping. Fished sardine filets. Bite picked up as the current increased. Boated 8 stripers to 8 lbs in the next 2 hours. My fishing partner broke two off, one of which headed across the river and upstream. Must have been a "big one". We missed quite a few fish also. They are on a "light" bite. Any kind of a "lean", follow the rod down and as you feel the line tighten, set the hook. Watch every bite, even though the bite might be squawfish, catfish, or a small striper. A big one can nibble first or run a smaller fish off of the bait. Quit just after 1 p.m.

Sunday (4/9)... Fished the same place as Saturday. The bite slowed down, but put in the time and worked out 9 keeper stripers to 17-1/2 lbs. for the 5 of us. Two others were around 7-9 lbs. The other 6 fish were between 19" and 4 lbs. Missed 3 or 4 too. Sardines filets again. I'm using one whole side of sardine fileted, split down the middle of the meat side, folded over, on a 7/0 hook, with a 1/2 hitch to hold the bait in place. Only two oz. of weight fishing in the middle of the river. Fishing in 8-9 feet of water. The fish are fighting hard. Overall, the best bite this past weekend was at the turn of the high tide and through the outgo.

That's it, keep the bottom of the boat wet and watch your line. Good luck, Mark.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lake Berryessa
Weather: Sunny, Breezy
Water_condition: see below
Date: 4/9/00

Report

conditions: dawn air tempurature+45 degress 65 degrees by noon water was more clear than last weekend, could see bottom where it was less than 6-7' deep. Fish were visible to same depth after some light got on the water at about 9:30 AM.

Bite ws not as hot as last weekend. Went with a "buddy" and we caught 3 salmon over about 5 hours on spinners with red or red-orange. I was using a red Roostertail and "buddy" was sing a #3 blue fox with silver blade and orange bell.

I saw some smallmouth bass in the cove, but my trout lures really didn't interest them.

After the bite really slowed at abut 11:00, we walked the road down the length of the cove (North of Spanish Flat +/- 2 mi, near Bureau of reclamation Office) and observed the fish since one can see deep into the water from that height. Salmon were schooling in the cove beneath the drop off and raiding the shallows up the south (shady) side. They move through an area quickly, but strike aggressively.

Name: Gabe sanchez
Email: Gabriel.sanchez@nec-computers.com
Location: Iselton area stripers$sturgeon..sardines!!
Weather: windy&clear skies
Water_condition: 61 degrees, stained
Date: 4/10/00

Report

Me and my buddy Joey went out sunday and had a hell of a day on the water. We launched out of vieras resort and set out towards the mouth of steamboat to bait fish with sardines. It was windy and white caps were all around. It was tough getting anchored, so we trolled along the tules in 18 feet of water. landed 4 shakers on broken back rebels. We figured we were wasting time so we went upriver past vieras and anchored in 14 feet of water. we caught over 10 stripers, limited on a 8#, 10# & 6#, 7#. When all was quiet and it was time to leave, boom, my rod was struct like freight train, I almost lost it to the fish, I had on a large sturgeon. he peeled line and i had im in the middle of the river, then he made one more run and headed down in the shallows near the bank. He burried himself in a snag, probably rocks or sucken tree, i couldnt get him out so after waiting and tring to pull him out he broke off at the hook. At one point i had him up to the leader but he didnt like the sun. The odd thing was he hit a sardine, so those who use sardines can catch sturgeon, so I suggest just in case you get one on the other end, use a 20lb test leader or more. I had a 15lb leader. lots of stipers being caught around us, a lady also hooked and landed a sturgeon. the run is on boys & girls. Our boat was almost de-sturgeonized!!!!! keep em wet!!

Report

Name: Penny (Penny Rod & Bait)
Email: TopfishC@aol.com
Location: Sacramento River@ Freeport
Weather: Sunny
Water_condition: Clear
Date: April 8, 2000

Report

Two sturgeon and six stripers were brough in today. The fish were hitting on pile worm. Reports of many schoolies of stripers are heading upstream. Your chance of landing that big female is just around the corner. Just make sure that you take enough bait with you.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lower Bear Reservoir
Weather: Partly cloudy, breezy
Water_condition: see below
Date: April 8, 2000

Report

Water Condition: see large objects to +/- 15', greenish stain, fish visible to 4' from shore and +/- 7' from top of dam, all ice gone, water up probably 2 1/2' from last week

Easy limits near either side of the West wing of the dam. Got fish with gold/black floating Rapala G5. Fish to smallish side and all rainbows. Also scored with red/glitter 1/32 oz jig.

On east wing caught and released 12" brown with a Mepp's XD-3 (gold blade red body and dressed single hook. Bite on east side was sparse and short (nothing on a variety baits after 9:30 AM).

Name: Craig Kamikawa
Email: Kamikaze@gotnet.net
Location: Garcia Bend
Weather: Cold w/ a South Wind
Water_condition: 62 degrees and clearing up
Date: April 5, 2000

Report

Used filleted sardines for the last two nights and caught 6 legal fish upto 22". There were no big fish seen on both days. Romeo's Bait Shop in Freeport weighed a 25# striper on 4/4/2000. Good Luck.

Name: BEAR
Email: CSBAman@aol.com
Location: American River
Weather: Bright Sun and Windy
Water_condition: Fairly Clear/56 degrees
Date: 4/4/2000

Report

We anchored at the mouth for a couple of hours using Jumbo Shiners-Ghost Shrimp-Sardines with only a few bites. We then trolled upstream towards the 16th street bridge with Rebels on spreaders (1/2oz. Bucktails) still no keepers. Drifting Shiners was no better, so we started throwing 8" white Reepers to the Sandy Beaches. Thats when we started getting the real action, over a dozen stripers in about an hour. Still no fish over 24" but it made the trip worth while.

Name: Alan (Fishermans Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: North Wind
Water_condition: clear & 68-72 degrees
Date: 03/3&4/00

Report

Fished the delta the last two days. The water is getting clear and it is warming up real fast. I found some areas that the water was 78 degrees. Caught a lot of bass up to four pounds. Most were caught on spinnerbaits and super flukes. You can catch bass flippin also, but it more fun on flukes. The bass were in two feet of water in the weeds. Saturday Randy Lee and his partner caught a black bass in the delta that weighted 17.85#, it's a new delta record! They were fishing a tournament which they WON easily. Congradulations guys! Good Luck, Alan

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lower Bear River Reservoir
Weather: Clear, +/-70 F, New Moon
Water_condition: see detail in report
Date: April 2, 2000

Report

Water Condition detail: "Ice out" conditions with rafts of melting ice crystals being blown around more open portions of the lake by the wind. Cold, variably murky water, brownish to bluish green color. Can see most objects clearly to 10-15', fish to +/- 6'.

Hiked approximately 2/3 of the length of the north shore (a lot of freakin' hiking) and caught 1 nice brown (+/- 14") and got only 2 more visible strikes for roughly 8 hours of seriously hoofin' it. Lure was a Worden's Rooster Tail (all shiny silver, red dressed hook).

On my way out, I went to the face of the dam (which has about 40' of face exposed. It is a much shorter hike from the now closed road to the South Shore Campground, maybe 1 mile.

What appeared to be the "prime spot," a windswept narrows leading into the relatively calm waters right before the dam, was taken with two groups of fishermen who appeared to be having little luck. Went to the face and put the Rooster Tail right up next to the dam a couple times. The Rooster Tail bagged a couple of 12"+ rainbows within 15 min. I could see fish rising after that, but they definitely stopped hitting the Rooster Tail.

I played around with a couple baits after that, but took a page from bassin' circles and bounced a size 5 gold and black Floating Rapala off the face of the dam. In the next 4 casts, I had 4 solid strikes and landed another 12" rainbow and a scrapper of a 14" brown. Time elapsed from arrival at spot #2 to rounding out my limit- 1 hour 15 min.

Very good fishing, overall, once I found the little buggers. Word of caution to the catch and release enthusiast: Single barbless streamer might be the only way to get these very aggressive strikers. The Rapala plug was effective, but deadly. The fish were taking it so hard they were getting hooks through their eyes, gills what have you. The spinner wasn't much better, they seemed to take a least one hook far enough down the throat to rip a gill-raker. Not that I mind eating fresh mountain trout, but I probably would have stayed and fished all the way though the evening bite if I wasn't maiming every fish I got on.

Name: Adam Howard
Email: adam0919@pacbell.net
Location: Lake Berryessa
Weather: Clear, +/- 70 F, New Moon
Water_condition: good clarity to 4'-5', greenish-bluish
Date: April 1, 2000

Report

The only April Fools at Berryessa were the ones who tried to get a line in after 10:00 AM. Got there late (for me) at about 7:30 AM. I had rises basically non-stop from my arrival until 10:00 AM. I fished for another 1 1/2 hours with only a couple hits, and I think the bite just pretty much faded. I would rate fishing as a 4.5 on a 5 point scale.

Trout took a copper bladed 00 Mepp's Ultra Lite with a red dressed (sort of egg looking) single hook. They also took a shiny silver Worden's Rooster Tail with Red skirt, maybe even more frequently.

Trout were found in small, deep creek inlets on the west shore. Lure presentation had to be precise so that the spinners appeared to be some thing making its way out from a facing shore. I caught 8 and released 7 of them. The smallest was about 11" inches and the largest about 17". I kept one at 15 1/2" that had taken the Rooster Tail so far down it ripped its gills up. The raibows were rising up from the bottom to the surface to take these very visible spinners.

Tricky fishing due to poor water clarity, you wouldn't even know the fish were there if you didn't throw a line out. Happy hunting.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: Sacramento River - Sacramento Local
Weather: Saturday Windy & Warm; Sunday-Just Plain Hot
Water_condition: Dropping/Still a Little Dirty
Date: April 3, 2000

Report

Saturday 4/1...Windy from the north. Fished for stripers upriver of Discovery Park. Fished sardine filets (boy are they oily). Caught several small keeper stripers to 3 lbs. Missed more than we caught. Lots of squawfish bites. Used a lot of bait. And, I caught one 53", 30 lb. sturgeon on a sardine. 15# test, pulled anchor and chased him for about 1/4 mile. Took about 15 minutes to land. On the drift the sturgeon was easier to handle.

Sunday 4/2...Went down to Rio Vista for the morning. Lots of "junk" bites and caught only 2 small keeper stripers at 18" - 19". Pulled out and went back to Discovery (Boy was it crowded). Lots of boat traffic. The catching was lousy. The squawfish really moved in and robbed our bait. Fished several spots, but no good for me this Sunday. It also got very hot. The water is still dropping. Need some more stripers to run off the trash fish.

I rate this weekend's catching slow for me. Maybe some of your other guys had better luck. Keep the bottom of the boat wet - Mark.

Name: WongRanger
Email: WongRanger@hotmail.com
Location: Kings Island
Weather: Windy to 25mph, Warm to 80s
Water_condition: slightlt stain from wind
Date: April 1,00

Report

WE WERE BLOWN CLEAR OUT OF THE H2O. THE GOOD NEWS IS I DIDN'T DO GARDENING TODAY. i'M TOO TIRED TO DO IT NOW SO MAYBE TOMORROW IF I DON'T GO FISHING. i'LL LEAVE IT IN GOD'S HANDS. IF IT NOT WINDY I'LL GO, BUT IF IT'S A LITTLE WINDY I'LL ONLY GO HALF DAY. good luck and fish you... the Wongranger had a flat tire.

Name: WongRanger
Email: WongRanger@hotmail.com
Location: Kings Island
Weather: Windy to 25mph, Warm to 80s
Water_condition: slightlt stain from wind
Date: April 1,00

Report

Name: WongRanger
Email: WongRanger@hotmail.com
Location: Kings Island
Weather: Windy to 25mph, Warm to 80s
Water_condition: slightlt stain from wind
Date: April 1,00

Report

Name: Rich
Email: jettour@northcoast.com
Location: Klamath
Weather:
Water_condition:
Date: March 31, 2000

Report

3/31/00 -- The lower Klamath is just staring to show signs of springers arriving. Yesterday, near the mouth, one of the local sea lions came up and tossed a good-sized springer about three feet up in the air as if to show me that the springers are starting. Only a couple of fishermen on the river and no reports of fish caught. The Klamath is usually three weeks later than the Rogue with the salmon runs so look for good tides and calm seas and we will start seeing springers.

Name: Tam Pham
Email: Forcetmp32@aol.com
Location: Sac/American River @ the mouth
Weather: Nice and warm little breeze
Water_condition: amer: nice & Grn. / Sac: usual Brwn.
Date: 04-01-00

Report

Got out to the mouth of of the sacramento/american river at discovery park a little late this morning at around 7:00 am. Noticed alot of anglers out there on boats and on the banks (apprx. 40 boats and apprx. 50+ bankers). Not a whole lot of action today... first three drifts with minnows didn't produce anything. 4th and 6th drift produced two undersized stripers (apprx. 5 & 7 lbs.) We has alot of nibbles for the next few drifts but no bites until about our 13th drift when I caught on to barely legal striper Approxiamtely 10 or 11 lbs. Left about 9:40 am. Noticed 2 total bankers catching stripes and 2 boaters hooking on to some keepers. Like I said, not much going on.

Name: Jake Smith
Email: JS0786@yahoo.com
Location: Lake Berryessa
Weather: Sunny and Breezy
Water_condition: Clear
Date: 3-29-2000

Report

Begin fishing at 7:30am near the cove. Using live minnow on bobber. Around 8:00am, I landed my first largemouth. It was a 3 pounder. The next fish was a 2 pounder. Went home at 10:00am with 5 largemouth and 8 crappies. It was a great fishing day!

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: None
Location: I-5 Bridge - Sacramento River
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Water_condition: Dropping and Clearing
Date: March 29, 2000

Report

Took a day's vacation on Tuesday, 3/28. Fished up towards the I-5 Bridge on the Sacramento River. Used sardine filets in 14' of water. Water dropping, slowing, and clearing. Lots of small males coming through. Took Dad and my friend Fred. We caught 12 keeper stripers and 15 shakers. Fish went from 5# down. Lots of action. Had to be out in the current a little more. The slower water closer to the bank was dead. Fish came through all day. Water in good shape now and fish throughout the system. Good luck and good fishing - Mark.

Name: Roger Baugh
Email: Baugh@iqemail
Location: Lake Tahoe
Weather: sunny 72 and glass
Water_condition: cold clear
Date: sun,march 27th

Report

while trolling from Sand Horbor at 9:30am at 140 ft with steel line using a broken back rapela (green and black) Dan Harmer of Polder pole holders of Reno and my-self Roger Baugh pulled in a 30lb Macinaw. I broke the handel on our large aluminum net getting the monster on the boat.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: mwilson@cdpr.ca.gov
Location: Saturday-Rio Vista Bay; Sunday-Sacramento Local
Weather: Saturday Breezy; Sunday Warm/Balmy
Water_condition: Clearing and Dropping
Date: March 27, 2000

Report

Saturday I bait fished the Lower Rio Vista Bay with sardines. Two of us caught 3 keeper stripers to 9#. Some catfish too. Kind of breezy all day. Most action on the hard part of the outgoing tide. Sunday tried upriver, Sacramento local. Launched at Miller Park and went down to the old Brickyards. Fished in 14' of water close to the bank (2 oz of weight). Fish bit on and off all day (7 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.). Finished with 8 keepers to 12# (the others at 5# and under), missed some, lost some, and caught shakers too. One fish on pileworms. All others on sardines (use small filets right now). The bites would start and be over in about 10 minutes. Then wait 1/2 hour and bites would start and be over again in 10 minutes. Indicates small schools were on the move. Small males, no females. Water dropped 2 feet over the weekend and clearing. As previously mentioned in my last report...The striper run has started and the water is getting more fishable. Good luck, Mark.

Name: Trophy Hunter
Email: JMTrophyHunter@cs.com
Location: Lake Almanor
Weather: partly cloudy
Water_condition: stainrd
Date: 3-25-00

Report

Fished from 7a-2p. Launched by the dam and fished east shore in 30 to40' of water. Water temp. was 44.5 degrees-up 4degrees from 2 weeks ago. Boated 3 nice browns on rainbow rapalas in top 5' -100' behind boat at 1.5 mph. Largest brown weighed 3.5 lbs. At 10a switched to speed trolling for kings using green and chrome sparklefish with green tape on "chrome" side. Increased trolling speed to 2.2mph and went down 20' on downriggers and had great sucess catching salmon - caught 12 fish with the largest king weighing in at 5.2lbs. and 3 fish over 2.5 lbs. (Took some nice pictures if anyone is interested). What a great day. (Thanks for the reminder Jim)

Name: Peter Nelson
Email: none
Location: Delta, Rio Vista
Weather: Windy
Water_condition: Stained
Date: March 26, 2000

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Was out at the delta for some sturgeon action and got nothing but some nice #20 and #17 stripers. Boy was was windy in the morning, I'll be staying in the steamboat for the next week. Fish-On !!!

Name: Tommy Clay
Email: Tommy06753@yahoo.com
Location: Lisbon Slough
Weather: Perfect
Water_condition: Muddy
Date: March 25, 2000

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I have some exciting news to tell you all. I went out to Lisbon Slough to see if all the news about the sturgeon action were actually real and not fish story. Believe or not, it was no fish tales at all. While I was there waiting for my fish to hit the bait, I saw 2 fish landed next to me. One was 71" long and another one was 60". One fish hit on ghost and mud shrimp combo and the other one was caught with pile worms. I was getting impatience after they went home after their limits. So I reel up my line and try different bait (I was using ghost shrimp). I bait the hook with both ghost shrimp and pile worm together. Surely enough, about 10 minutes after the cast, my rod tip begins to tug toward the water. I was pretty sure that the fish is taking my bait. All of sudden I grab my rod and set the hook. Fish was on! I kept fighting the fish for about 20 minutes. Then I saw the fish jump and jump. The fish put up another 10 minutes of fight before it gave up. It was a 68 incher sturgeon. I was so excited! The story about the fishing action at Lisbon is true.

While driving home passing through the yolo causeway, the Lisbon Slough look like a string of lights. Camp fire and lantern lights were lining up side by side at the shoreline. There must be over 30 fishermen out there tonight. I think they should rename the slough to "The Sturgeon Slough" Well, I hope you can pass the news to other fellow sturgeon anglers. By the way, there is a bait shop near there that has all the sturgeon stuff we need. It is by the freeway off Jefferson Blvd. It's call Penny's Bait Shop. Check it out sometimes. Or you can stop by the bait shop on Broadway and 17th Street. It's call Broadway Rod & Gun. Don't forget to get some ghost shrimp and pile worms. Oh, you should use at least 6 ounce sinker.

Name: Ed Chen (Penny Rod & Bait)
Email: TopfishC@aol.com
Location: Port of Sacramento
Weather: Sunny and Warm
Water_condition: Semi Clear
Date: March 25, 2000

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I spend couple hour fishing at the port with live jumbo minnows. It was slow. No luck at the port. So I decided to try the river instead. I landed two 20 inche striped bass under the I street bridge with pile worm. When I went by the bait shop there were couple guys brought in one sturgeon and one striper. They told me that they caught them at the Lisbon Slough with ghost shrimp and pile worms. While talking to them, I found out that the sturgeon action is picking up over by the slough.

Name: Ed Chen (Penny Rod & Bait)
Email: TopfishC@aol.com
Location: Port of Sacramento
Weather: Sunny and Warm
Water_condition: Semi Clear
Date: March 25, 2000

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Name: Tommy Clay
Email: Tommy06753@yahoo.com
Location: Lisbon Slough
Weather: Perfect
Water_condition: Muddy
Date: March 25, 2000

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Name: Alan (Fishermans Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Clarksburg to Verona
Weather:
Water_condition: Getting cleaner
Date: 03/25/00

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Have not been fishing for stripers, but I have been hearing good reports at the shop. Bait fishing with sardines has been the best producer. Steamboat slough has been kicking out some stripers. The sacto river should be full of stripers now that the water level has dropped. With the weather clearing and no more rain the action will break wide open in a week. My friend has been fishing the Verona area and he has been catching a lot of stripers to 20#. The mouth of the Feather river is clear and the stripers are already there. Pile worms work very well also, try anchoring in 8 to 15 ft of water. Good luck, Alan

Name: Alan (Fishermans Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Clarksburg to Verona
Weather:
Water_condition: Getting cleaner
Date: 03/25/00

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Name: Craig Kamikawa
Email: Kamikaze@gotnet.net
Location: Freeport
Weather: Sunny and Warm
Water_condition: Muddy and Fast
Date: March 25, 2000

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Went out very early, crack of dawn, and fished for a couple of hours for stripers. We used filleted sardines and 4 oz. of weight. The water was moving fast and there wasn't that much debris under by the bait. Watch out for floating debris, there were some huge logs floating downstream. We hooked one small fish and then quit. Good Luck.

Name: Craig Kamikawa
Email: Kamikaze@gotnet.net
Location: Freeport
Weather: Sunny and Warm
Water_condition: Mudday and Fast
Date: March 25, 2000

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Name: The WongRanger
Email: Wongranger@hotmail.com
Location: Kings Island/Delta
Weather: windy,sunny
Water_condition: clearing, low tide
Date: March 23, 2000

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Saturday, March 18, 00, 9:00 am I woke up thinking it would be blowing 5 - 15 mph in the Delta as forecast. They were wrong, just late. I hurried and got ready and took off like a rocket to King's Island. Started to cast around weed beds but no luck with spinner baits. Then, started with crank baits to 15 feet. Bang! Landed a 4.5 lb. bass on the 3rd cast on deep- rocked banks. Caught a 2nd keeper in same stretch. Wind started blowing about 11:00. It was difficult to keep boat in control. Started to look for quieter waters . They were already claimed by other Bass Guys. Quit at 2:00. I guess I was just lucky to have landed 2 nice fish. Good Luck and fish you. The WongRanger rides again!

Name: Gary Lovos
Email: Hwkhuntr@hotmail.com
Location: Decker Island
Weather:
Water_condition:
Date: March 21, 2000

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We spent the weekend at Brannon Island & did some fishing at Rio Vista Bridge & marker 16 at Decker Island. My cousins who went with us caught 2 stripers at the Rio Vista bridge. Both were about 18 - 19". My wife, cousin, & myself caught 4 stripers next to marker 16 at Decker Island along with a couple shakers and a little 8" cat. We caught them at slack tides, in the morning and afternoon. All the stripers we caught this weekend we all off of shad. Stergeon action was real slow in both areas. Well good luck all & happy fishing.

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: mwilson@cdpr.ca.gov
Location: Lower Steamboat Slough
Weather: Saturday-balmy/Sunday-WINDY!
Water_condition: Dropping and dirty
Date: March 20, 2000

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Fished lower Steamboat Slough Saturday and Sunday. Tried trolling early in the morning. Water clarity was pretty good both days, but dirtied up later in the day. Water at 57 degrees and dropping. Fished sardines and pileworms. Pileworms outfished the sardines 2 to 1. The best bite was during the incoming tide when the water speed slowed down. I went from 3 oz of weight to 1 oz of weight, fishing in 10' of water. Caught only two keepers for the two of us on Saturday. Limited Sunday for 3 people up to 8 lbs. Several shakers caught both days. With the water dropping and warming the striper run should break loose this coming weekend. Lots of fish in the river. Bought a new used boat on Friday and caught fish in it on Sunday. Maybe a good luck boat. Keep the bottom of your boat wet, and good luck - Mark.

Name: Rich (Rivers West Outfitters)
Email: jettours@northcoast.com
Location: Chetco River
Weather:
Water_condition:
Date: March 16, 2000

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3/15/00 -- Today I had a day off and for the first time this year had the opportunity to take my sons fishing. Believe it or not we don't get much fishing time together. We decided to fish the Chetco from Ice box to Market and put in around 9:30. The water height was perfect but on the clear side. There were only a hand full of fishermen on the entire drift and not much action. We drifted down with the current letting my 13 year old have a chance on the oars. We did have a chance at a couple downrunners and landed one nice native hen just below the north fork. I believe that if we would have fished hard we could have caught maybe 4 fresh fish. It was sunny and warm and by noon we were at the take out. The prediction of light rain over the next two days may add some color to the river and bring a majority of downrunners into the main stream and give us a chance at the last runs of fresh that may be entering the system. My best guess is that fishing will only be fair into the weekend and then we'll see what happens, If the fishing doesn't improve I would go to the Smith because more fresh fish are coming in everyday. All the fish that I know of being hooked were on pearl orange #1 puff-balls and small pieces of fresh roe.

Name: Rich (Rivers West Outfitters)
Email: jettours@northcoast.com
Location: Smith River
Weather:
Water_condition:
Date: March 16, 2000

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3/15/00 -- The Smith River has not been hot but is turning out a fish or two per boat everyday, some have been luckier than others. There are fresh fish entering the river every day and a report from the hatchery indicates 15 new fish were trapped last night out of Rowdy Creek, for this time of year that is big numbers. We have not found large concentrations of fish in any spot they seem to be scattered throughout. Bank anglers will probably do best on the upper reaches of the middle fork and on the south fork while the boaters have been picking up fish from the forks all the way to Ruby. A couple days ago I fished through Ruby and took out at the water tower. We hooked three fish below the take out at Ruby. I believe that there is a good chance that fresh fish are available in the lower section down to Saxtons or even the mouth of Rowdy Creek. There hasn't been any pressure and could be very productive if a person was to hit it right. Light rains are predicted for the next two days and hopefully will be enough to add a bit of color to the water and get the new fish moving upstream. My best guess is that the Smith will be slow to fair fishing into this weekend but if no one goes fishing we will never know.

Name: Leo
Email: None
Location: china camp/pumphouse
Weather: sunny
Water_condition: calm
Date: March 16, 2000

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had alot of hits on mud and ghost and grass but they were only little stripers. a charter had caught a few flounders and some small stripers and one keeper sturgeon @ china camp. tommorrow we will go to the ozone or mothball. wish us luck!

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: mwilson@cdpr.ca.gov
Location: Frank's Tract, San Joaquin, Middle and Old Rivers
Weather: Overcast on Saturday; Sunny on Sunday
Water_condition: Stained
Date: March 13, 2000

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Saturday/Sunday, March 11 and 12th (Not much wind each day, just a light breeze or no wind at all) - My friend Fred and I worked Rattle Traps again in Frank's Tract, San Joaquin, Middle and Old Rivers. Silver with a blue back seems to be the best color for us right now. You ought to see my lure after yesterday's fishing. It is tore up with not much paint left on it. Good thing I changed the hooks before I used it. Caught 30 stripers each day with 1/3 of them keepers to 6 lbs. Lost a couple of good ones each day to hooks pulling out or taking us into snags. Saturday the water was stained and at 51.8 degrees. Sunday it was stained and at 54 degrees. Muddy water started out of the Mokelumne mid afternoon on Sunday. Caught a couple of largemouth bass also on each day, up to 3 lbs. I'm working outside and over weeds for the fish, depending on water depth (4 - 12'). Tried some spooning on some fish, but no luck. 25 miles on Saturday and 48 miles on Sunday. That's it for last weekend. I'll be trying something different next weekend. Going to try bait on the Sacramento. Keep the bottom of your boat wet and good luck fishing - Mark.

Name: Tom Pham
Email: Forcetmp32
Location: Sacramento River (Freeport Area)
Weather: cloudy and cold
Water_condition: fast and muddy
Date: March 11, 2000

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Stripers by the bank!!!! My father and an old friend of his went out to the Sacramento River (freeport area) early this morning at 3am. With "ghost shrimp" on hand for the chance of some "good" sturgeon bites they ruffed the dark morning and cold wheather to not catch any sturgeons but instead got lucky with limits on Stripers. Well I guess that I will to have to start fishing with father from now on, since he has the better luck out of the two of us. Oh and by the way the water was a bit high, muddy, and pretty fast.

Name: Penny (Penny Bait)
Email: topfishc@aol.com
Location: West Sac, Sacramento
Weather: Clouds, warm
Water_condition: muddy, high
Date: March 08, 2000

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New Update on Lisbon Slough actions: According to Ken Lack of West Sacramento, he landed another over 5 feet sturgeon with ghost shrimp last night. It is unblievable to see someone fishing in the rain for them. He added that last night's catch was his sixth sturgeon from the slough this year. Photo was not available due to the time he caught his fish. Sacramento River at Freeport: New report from the Freeport area indicated some sturgeon movements near the Clarksburg area around late night hours. It seems that sturgeon are hitting during the late hours than the daylights. Fish close to the bank.

Name: Rich (Rivers West Outfitters)
Email: jettours@northcoast.com
Location: Chetco River
Weather:
Water_condition:
Date: March 07, 2000

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The Chetco has really dropped into perfect shape over the weekend with emerald green water and 4ft of visibility. I fished the Chetco for the last three days with fair success along with many other guides and private boaters. It had been a week of high water and I expected to find good quantities and quality of steelhead throughout the whole river. The big fish we were starting to see last week before the rains were no where to be found. I would suspect they have already headed up to the spawning grounds. We managed to land a few fish everyday averaging 8 to 10lbs, most were wild fresh hens that we released, a couple were nice downers, and 1 hatchery hen that was kept. Talking to others on the river, the average number caught by boats ranged from 0 to 3 per day and for the bank fishermen it was less than that. I fished from the South Fork to Market but there didn't seem to be a concentration of fish in any particular area just one here and there. In most of the holes where I didn't get a bite, someone else would. There are fresh fish entering everyday and I believe that if the water keeps dropping the fish will become concentrated in holding areas. I look for about two more weeks of good numbers of fresh fish in the system with greater numbers of downers in the mix. Yesterday we were getting low on the natural colored roe that I normally use as bait along with orange puff balls. I pulled out a jar of pro-glow red salmon roe ( I wouldn't usually use this for steelhead as I am a believer that steelhead will rarely take these red eggs). I combined them with a pink puff ball and small piece of pink yarn and in the next hour we hooked and landed 3 nice steelhead. That was as well as we had done all day. The first two we caught were on the only rod that had red roe on it. By the third one, every rod was using red roe. I'm not convinced that red roe is the trick or the best type of bait to use because over the years it has been tried many times. I find that more consistently natural roe will win out over fish dyed roe. My theory is that when steelhead have seen 100 pieces of natural roe float by that sometimes a little change in colors, size or even shape can make a big difference. I always start with what has worked best for me and then make changes as I go along. I also try to learn or see something new everyday. Enjoy your time on the river.

Name: Rich (Rivers West Outfitters)
Email: ettours@northcoast.com
Location: Smith River
Weather:
Water_condition:
Date: March 07, 2000

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The Smith has had a slight rise in the flow but color remains good to the clear side. The fishing has generally been fair with some good days and some tough days. Guides are reporting 1 to 3 fish per day and a mix of fresh and downers. Some of the guides are using natural roe with either orange or pink puff balls and yarn. My favorite is baby pink yarn and pearl pink puff balls when the water is this clear, but some that have been very successful the past few days are mixing colors of yarn. The fresh fish are scattered from the forks to Ruby for the boaters and the bank fishermen have been catching some pretty large fresh fish on the upper stretches of the middle fork. With all the fish on the move, I would guess the bank angler knowing the upper portions of the middle and the south fork now has the advantage over the boaters. Get out there and wet a line. Enjoy the river for what it is.

Name: John Mitchell
Email: JMitchell98753@yahoo.com
Location: Lake Berryessa
Weather: Cloudy
Water_condition: Semi-cloudy
Date: March 07, 2000

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To all bass fishing pals out there.... Some good news for you all. I was fishing at the Lake and I have discover some bass action near the north shore. Bass in the range of 2-1/2 to 5-1/2 pounds were hitting right and left. The secret of the trick is live crawdads. Most of them come close to feed on the crawdads. You must fish right before sunrise. Use a flippin stick with 8 pound test and couple small split shots should do the trick. I begin to fish at around 7:00am and I caught and released over 10 fish by 8:30am. Oh, by the way, I recommend that you get your bait early before the day you fish. Especially if you are using crawdads. To save you guys from wasting your time checking for the bait, the only bait store that carries them is Penny Rod & Bait.

Name: Alan (Fishermans Warehouse)
Email: Fishfong@aol.com
Location: Delta
Weather: Windy & Cloudy
Water_condition: Good & 57 degree
Date: March 07, 2000

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3/6/00 Fished the delta today for black bass. Little windy and cloudy today. The water is starting to clear up a lot from Franks Tract going west. The water is warming up pretty fast, should break open any day. Only caught seven bass, but they were all between 2-4 #s, on spinnerbaits in two feet of water. I lost a pretty BIG one, flippin a jig. I set the hook and the bass just started to pull, felt heavy, then I had reel in one hand and rod in the other. The reel fell off the rod! Bass GONE! Well good luck! Alan

Name: Danny Kagee
Email: DKagee@AOL.COM
Location: San Pablo Bay, Pump House
Weather: Clear Skies, light winds
Water_condition: calm water, outgoing tide,muddy
Date: March 06, 2000

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Useing a combination of mud and gost shrimp in about 12 foot of water. I cought a 5'11" white sturgeon on 3-3-2000 at about 3:30 PM. The bite is very light. I had to rebait several times,becouse I couldn't feel the bites, but would see a diferance in the line tention. Most of the time I would pull up an empty hook... Watch you line, don't want for the light bite!

Name: Mark Wilson
Email: mwilson@cdpr.ca.gov
Location: Pittsburg to Frank's Tract
Weather: Partly Sunny with Light Breeze
Water_condition: Stained to Dirty
Date: March 06, 2000

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Two trips in one...Tried for Stripers. Fished near Pittsburg below Broad Slough with Sardines. Lots of little shaker stripers to 17". Water was a dirty mix at 51.8 degrees. Quit bait fishing at end of outgoing tide. Boated to Frank's Tract for the incoming tide and trolled rattle traps. Water was 53 degrees and stained, but clear enough for casting and trolling. Two stripers at 19" and 15". Moved to the San Joaquin and Middle River and started casting rattle traps. Caught another dozen stripers to 20" and lost one around 12 pounds (took me into a snag). Went back to Frank's Tract to finish the day. Caught a school of small stripers mixed with some small keepers and shakers. Finished the day around 2:30 p.m. 58 miles on the trip log. But, it was action. That's it. Keep the bottom of your boat wet - Mark.

Name: Trophy Hunter
Email: JMTrophyHunter@cs.com
Location: Indian Valley
Weather: overcast /rain in pm
Water_condition: extremely poor water clarity
Date: March 05, 2000

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Fished Indian valley Sat. from 7a-2p. No fish-no bites and used the whole tackle box: apexs, cripple lures, golden eyes, spinners, needle fish etc. Fished with dodgers, trolls and with corn and nightcrawlers. Fished from top-line to 60' without sucess. Fished the whole lake and concentrated around dam for kokanee. Water clarity was extremely poor reservoir is close to capacity. Numerous boats on the lake but saw no one catching fish. Report in the "OTHER" on-line fishing report apperars to be a little inaccurate !!!