Lake Sonoma 10/21 & 22

My mother in-law chose this location for her b-day camp out. Staying at the Corps of Engineers campground. Any ideas about where or what to fish for this time of year?

How close is the campground to the water? I've never camped there. I'm not a Lake Sonoma fisherman, but I bet the fall bass bite is picking up.

Lake sonoma has bass, trout, catfish. For the kids worm n bobber will catch sunfish all day long. targeting bass throwing senkos worked for me. Dark green with black flake. I have never tried for the steelhead. But my neighbor goes out in his boat. Trolls for steelhead using threaded worm. Gets some good sized out of there around 5lbs. I have not catfished yet. But my buddy at work does it all the time. He uses chicken liver. Just couple weeks ago he pulled out a 17lb for 2nd place in a tourny. 1st place was 23lb. Late at night or early in the morning is the best for cats.

LMB in the shallows SMB off the points in about 12FOW the LLS are still deep on the surface in early am then back down to 40. I've been watching it and it's ready to go off. I think you picked a perfect weekend see you up there I'll be fishing across from the launch along the east shore. Buy some jointed Shad raps and troll you might see them busting bait off the points. Dropshot dark Robo worms or use craw imitations for SMB. Swimbaits or Senkos for LMB.

Thanks guys, Sounds like it may not be such a bad place to spend the weekend after all.

@ Mickfish, I'm not sure where the campground is yet but I'll come lookin' for ya. What day are you fishing?

@Kmilz, tell me more about that bobber fishin' (as in where), my 5 yo girl would love to get in on some of that. And it's the perfect place to get her on the yak.

Thanks again,
Ruben

Campground is up the way from the lake, you have to drive down to launch.  Unless you do a boat in camping trip, which is something I've been dying to do there for a long time!

I think you are talking about the drive in campground up the road from the main public launch ramp... Find Mickfish and follow him around like a lost puppy and you will do well.  As far as bobber fishing for the kids, any weed bed or submerged structure will usually produce solid numbers of redear.  The cats can get large and fight like all get out.  The main attraction for me are the big rainbows, but they can be hard to get to until the weather cools, and the lake turns over.  That will bring them to the surface to stay, but it is a bit early for that. 

@Kmilz, tell me more about that bobber fishin' (as in where), my 5 yo girl would love to get in on some of that. And it's the perfect place to get her on the yak.

all i do is get a small hook so they can actually get it in there mouth. Use nightcrawlers or red worms. Put small piece on the hook with a bobber maybe 12in-18in away from hook. If you put the whole worm on the hook it will just get slowly ripped off. You might want to pinch the barb down or get barbless. Be easier to C&R.  Almost anywhere you will get bites. That lake is packed full of sunfish. Just look for weeds/cover.

This friggn heat is going to put the fish down  I was thinking of a Fri eve/ Sat morn. My neighbor is hitting it tomorrow so I will post up results tomorrow. Like the guys said the campground is quite a ways from the lake. For bobber (float) fishing from shore with kids the best area is just west of the ramp parking(trails) lot across from the Marina or head up the trails north by the ramp, if you are kayaking any wood pile and there are tons of them.

@Kmilz, tell me more about that bobber fishin' (as in where), my 5 yo girl would love to get in on some of that. And it's the perfect place to get her on the yak.

all i do is get a small hook so they can actually get it in there mouth. Use nightcrawlers or red worms. Put small piece on the hook with a bobber maybe 12in-18in away from hook. If you put the whole worm on the hook it will just get slowly ripped off. You might want to pinch the barb down or get barbless. Be easier to C&R.  Almost anywhere you will get bites. That lake is packed full of sunfish. Just look for weeds/cover.

Good tips! I also read a tip online to use circket hooks, which are elongated J hooks.  That way when they gut hook themselfs it is easier to get it out.  Oh yeah, bring forceps! 

circket hooks =  Carlise Hooks

You can buy small minnows at the Dry Creek Store half way up Dry Creek Road whichs leads to the lake.

You can buy small minnows at the Dry Creek Store half way up Dry Creek Road whichs leads to the lake.

you sure mike, the tank went down last spring and they said it wasnt worth repairing, because sales werent great and they were going to stop selling them, but i havent asked about them since, usually just having a beer on the porch enjoying the view , cameron

You can buy small minnows at the Dry Creek Store half way up Dry Creek Road whichs leads to the lake.

you sure mike, the tank went down last spring and they said it wasnt worth repairing, because sales werent great and they were going to stop selling them, but i havent asked about them since, usually just having a beer on the porch enjoying the view , cameron

  Nope never buy them never use bait up there, probably not big on the Gallo marketing plan 

You can buy small minnows at the Dry Creek Store half way up Dry Creek Road whichs leads to the lake.

you sure mike, the tank went down last spring and they said it wasnt worth repairing, because sales werent great and they were going to stop selling them, but i havent asked about them since, usually just having a beer on the porch enjoying the view , cameron

  Nope never buy them never use bait up there, probably not big on the Gallo marketing plan 

well it was gina who told me this info

I miss the serve youself old school coke reefer minos on the front porch only visited the shack out back once.