Berryessa Friday..I hate that lake!

Sorry to hear no fish for you Adam. My next door neighbor was there Thursday on
his pontoon. He claimed that people that was trolling for the land lock salmon did
not have any luck either. He manage to keep 2 salmon and a largemouth bass by
just staying still with live minnows. I don't know exactly where he was though in
Berryessa.

Jedmo

Adam, it's going to be a long winter for you.........

Adam

You need to go with Naoaki. He loves that lake. I'm sort of indifferent. At least for me it's a short drive to get skunked.

Adam

You need to go with Naoaki. He loves that lake.

+1  My personal best (quantity wise)

Though spring and fall are the primetimes for this beautiful lake, I still manage to be productive this time of the year. I would agree with Scott on the PB and JS - with summer as their primetime takes this lake out of my list. There are a few rockpiles and, I agree, not many structures but still gets pretty productive. Bro, I will try to make you change your heart about this lake come next spring. However, I am talking about quantity, not quality game. 

These 2 Berryessa beauties were C&R last spring.

LL

thanks for all the sorrys&feel-for-yous, but you guys are taking this WAaaayyY to serious for me..... kinda freaking me out a little.

thanks for the tips, words of encouragment & Good ol'GeneralBallBusting!


I hate the lake today&for now...I will return(with someone who knows how to fish), hit my target and be a LakeBerryessaLover4Life!

I'm NOT at ALL firmilliar with live-crawdads as bait, but I sure would love to try it there!

This report sucks.  

readingBETWEENmyLINES...your good!

My next door neighbor was there Thursday on
his pontoon. He manage to keep 2 salmon by
just staying still with live minnows. I don't know exactly where he was though in
Berryessa.

+1  My personal best (quantity wise)
These 2 Berryessa beauties were C&R last spring.
[/quote]
this is NOT making me feel any better!!, but thanks for trying

Ditto what Spidey said, I don't know who you are anymore!

it's REAL_LYme!, i just had to let my true feelings be heard(andIdidTAKE2pics)
but i'm still......TOOpissedTOpostTHEM!

Adam, it's going to be a long winter for you.........

I am really going to suffer through this one....forREAL_ 

Adam, I was out there a week and a half ago...

It was a little slow....I hooked two small bass and one trout 15.75 inch.

I was in the water for four hours.....My first time there.


Stay strong my friend,

S.

I hooked two small bass I was in the water for four hours.....My first time there.
Stay strong my friend,

thnx Jack!...i'm trying to keep it all together.
that second bass is the EXACT SAME TWO I caught.
HOWwierdISthat?!

I HATE fishing lakes where there is NO SHORE STRUCTURE..

...someone needs a nap

Adam...we've talked MANY TIMES about this "negative attitude" of yours  I'm going to have to intervene once again and give you a little spanking (open hand) 

...now repeat after me:

"It's not fish, it's the fishing"

i have heard that is a tough lake.  i used to catch a lot of smallies and big ones too!  but that was in Canada, 30 years ago.  wow, i am gettin' old!

Sorry to hear the bite was weak Adam but I have to confess that I found it kind of disturbing that there wasnt any kind of photo documentation.
Are you ok?  Im not sure I know who you are anymore.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Methods Version 5: "Picless fishing reports in December can be a symptom of...

SWS (Saltwater Withdrawl Syndome)

SBFD (Striped Bass Fatigue Disorder)

IAOTYPS (Insufficient AOTY Point Syndrome)

The good news is that complete recovery is only a dino sleigh ride away. Hang in there Adam, 2009 is your year.

scott

Adam,

What a bummer. I only fished that lake once about 20 years ago and only got a few crappie and a catfish right befor sunset. Other than that water skiing was nice!!! Big lake with a lot of places where fish hide!!! We'll need to hookup this spring down here in the south bay and drag minnows at Colero this spring. I need to get a 10 pounder next year to bring in my 50th!! Man I'm getting old!!!

I've never been on that lake.

Ab King..

...."shedding a little tear of sadness..."......wow....
Now that DID make me smile.
A nice turn-of-phrase.

Well Adam, I'm totally with you.
I mean, the only thing worse than fishing Berryessa is fishing Lake Shasta when it's down.......(like NOW...!!!...).....

Bare red banks don't elevate my soul.

That's why my first inclination is always to head for upper-Delta freshwater, like Delta Meadows Park, or the Cosumnes River Preserve.

Those underwater pictures of fish that you've produced just absolutely blow me away.   I too, have a Pentax W30 and from the first moment when I saw one of your photos I resolved to try taking some myself.   But so far when I catch a fish I've gotten so excited and eager to get the fish out of the water that the thought of photographing it before boating it escapes me.....or I haven't brought the camera with me in the first place.

Of all California's red-banked "pull-down" lakes...???.....Lake Sonoma offends me least.  There's something about Lake Sonoma that's just prettier to my eyes, than Berryessa, and I can't put my finger on what.

On the other hand, Lake Sonoma offends me because the Corps of Engineers won't let me take my trailer to the Yorty Creek Launch....and without my trailer I've got no boat, no nothing....it's a "no-go".

Judd

Sorry to hear the bite was weak Adam but I have to confess that I found it kind of disturbing that there wasnt any kind of photo documentation.
Are you ok?  Im not sure I know who you are anymore.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Methods Version 5: "Picless fishing reports in December can be a symptom of...

SWS (Saltwater Withdrawl Syndome)

SBFD (Striped Bass Fatigue Disorder)

IAOTYPS (Insufficient AOTY Point Syndrome)

The good news is that complete recovery is only a dino sleigh ride away. Hang in there Adam, 2009 is your year.

scott

oh, Scott that's FUNNY...TOO FUNNY! and so damned true.
can I add one to the list?
FTFALWOL(First Time Fishing A Lake W/O Luck)

Adam,
 I need to get a 10 pounder next year to bring in my 50th!! Man I'm getting old!!!

i used to catch a lot of smallies and big ones too!  but that was in Canada, 30 years ago.  wow, i am gettin' old!

you boyz need to forget about that "old" numbers game!...none of us are anywhere near "hanging up the paddles"....right!?
and like I said in my previous replies.....hearing you used to catch them years ago?
AIN'TmakingMEfeelANYbetter!  

Judd~ Bare red banks don't elevate my soul.
     Sounds so poetic...in a kinda, sad way......and thanks for complements on the UWShots too!.....i only take an UWS, after I've already *check'd that species off my AOTY 'List of needed fish.......and I right with you on the "gotten so excited and eager to get the fish out of the water that the thought of photographing it before boating it escapes me"
Give it a try next time, clear water, target lit by sun(if any) and then...the most important~~ once you get the Fish to the side of the boat, and it's not bleeding or foul-hooked, stick the cam. just under the surface and then direct/aim the fish towards the camera, when it swims straight and not too close, PUSH THE BUTTON! and then DO IT AGAIN!....i leave mine in the "auto mode" so it takes a second to focus&respond.
It's all about, remembering that is not *just all about...GETTINGtheFISHintoTHEboat!
...but it really IS all about that?....we need a thread on this subject started&debated NOW!  

I HATE fishing lakes where there is NO SHORE STRUCTURE..

...someone needs a nap

Adam...we've talked MANY TIMES about this "negative attitude" of yours  I'm going to have to intervene once again and give you a little spanking (open hand) 

...now repeat after me:

"It's not fish, it's the fishing"

how could i forget.....i seem to have somehow, left out the ol'CompanyLine at the end of my report, thanks for the correction and for the "OPEN HAND?"(remember! if the thumb is "tucked&fingers knuckles stright", it's a sports pat...but if the thumb is "out&fingers bent?", we're gonna need to have another talk&learn)

"even though I didn't hit my target, I still had a GREAT TIME hunting for it
...o.k.! I feel better now, thanks Brudah!
 

 I had decent action on top water with LMB this past summer. I would go on weekdays early morning to avoid all the wake borders. I fished the weeds in the shallow coves where the boats can't reach. I used weedless frogs right on top the weeds and zara spooks for the weed edges. The best results came with a super slow retrive. If I seen a hole in the middle of a bunch of weeds, I would throw the frog there and twitch it there for at least 30 seconds. Winter fishing there seems slower. I had the worst sunburn of my life fishing that lake
 Miguel