O'Neil report

[Lee Haskin]

With the wind very moderate last night, I found the Forebay stripers on the grab. I fished sub-surface from 5:00 until the sun went down, with a number of fish, several around 5 lbs. Fortunately, the wind stayed around 6-8 mph, which is perfect for top water. I moved into the flats and the fish were really "looking up". For the last 1 1/2 hour the stripes were blasting my small yellow and white gurgler. 5 of these fish were larger schoolies (5-6 lbs.), and one about 7 lbs.! One of the best top water sessions I have had in a couple of years. These fish were fat and strong.....and one is on the menu tonight!

Nothing like catching fish on top water!!!!......last week it was trout on #18's.....last night is was stripers on a 1/0 gurgler!

Cheers,
Lee

[Scott V]

Thanks for the report Lee, looks like I might have to head that way this weekend.

[Jay Murakoshi]

Mornings have been OK. I've made a couple trips but usually out by midday. I'm looking for LMB more so than stripers. It's starting to look like the fall fishing should be a HOOT.

jay

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Lee and Jay,

What are the big months in the fall?


Lee and Jay,

How long a drive is it for you from your house?



**I remember some of my staff went down there a few years back in the fall and hit it very good one day.

[Lee Haskin]

Hi Bill,

Here's my take on O'Neil topwater action:

As usual, the flats/weeds are perfect this time of year, and the best for fishing topwater, up on the flats, in the morning and evening.
High wind is the problem, and if it is blowing over, say, 12-15 mph. the topwater fishing suffers. During the day, fishing subsurface, the wind, and fishing, should be OK, and subsurface fishing has been very good!

For me, I get serious about fishing top water at O'Neil when the wind starts to drop consistantly. This is usually in September and runs through October.

The other problem has been the stepped-up weedcutting. Last year they cut weeds during the peak of the action (September), killing the flats fishing. We kept moving, trying to stay ahead of the cutter, and it extended our action by a couple of weeks.
I see that the weedcutter just arrived this week, so I am guessing the cutting will start soon. [I wish they could wait a couple of months.]
Because of the weedcutting, I am planning to fish more in August, even if I have to contend with high winds.

Bill, a common misconception is that you need flat calm conditions to catch fish here on top water bugs. This is totally false. In fact, a 6-8 mph wind is better than dead calm. IMHO.
In the wind it is harder to see the weeds because they are laid over by the wave action, but these shallow, heavily weeded areas are where the stripers feed, in the evenings and mornings. With moderate winds the stripers tend to loose there fear, and they are not spooky.

Hey Jay. Hope you are finding some big LMB's.

Cheers,
Lee

[Lee Haskin]

Opps! Forgot to answer your other question.

San Luis is an hour drive for me. Since the topwater action really doesn't happen until just before sunset, I can leave after work and have plenty of time to hit the "golden time".
...and yes, 1 1/2 hour of topwater is worth the 1 hour drive!!!

Lee

[kingfisher]

Lee Haskin, thanks for your report.....I have fish the Onell and Louie for years but have never tried to ride a float tub in the Forbay.....At what wind condition is safe? John

[Jay Murakoshi]

Here's my .02 cents on the Forebay. I usually start fishing the Forebay around mid-September. I'm talking usually 5 days a week from sun up to sun down. Like Lee mentioned, the weed cutter cleaned out everything last year. Last year in early October, the weed cutter was within 25 feet from where I was fishing.
I really thought last October was fantastic. Early morning top water bite and around 8:30am, you couldn't by a bite then around 4:00pm the top water came alive. These were all decent size fish - I would say in the 3 to 5lb range. Most of the time, I would have it to myself until the big boats found the working birds and jetted right in. Like I mentioned in one of my reports, the idiot drove within 15' from my pram, like no one was home.

Anyway, I like some chop on the water, now I'm not talking white caps. I like overcast and a slight wind - perfect conditions. I fish 97% top water and the rest below.

Lee, I fished the flats/tullies around 152 and then motored back up to the other end, check 13. The tullies in that area seems to be holding more LMB but I'm also finding a lot of them inside the shallows between where I park and the islands. Sounds like I'll have to start fishing more before all the weeds are cut.

From my door to where I park, it's 1 hour 5 minutes. I have made it in 55 minutes. But that's at 4am in the morning, no fog, no CHP's.

Another place I like to fish is Los Banos Creek Reservoir. No stripers but some decent size bass and lot's of Blue Gills.

Jay

[Lee Haskin]

Hi Jay,

Thanks for the note on the am and daytime fishing. I rarely fish at this time, so it is good to know the pattern for that part of the day.

Yes, I have picked up a few LMB along the trees/tullies, near 152, but must admit, I don't give the LMB a lot of attention.

Intersting that you found bigger fish under the birds. Typically, in years past, I have found these blitzes to be a waste of time, usually finding very small schoolies. I have had a couple of exceptions, but these days I tend to ignore them unless they are very close to me. (of course I am not as mobile either, and the commitment to reach these frenzies to too much and takes me away from the flats.)

Good to see you are getting out there, Jay! I will try and connect with you, if I see you.

John, I have always felt much safer in a float tube than in a boat, when fishing San Luis. This is especially true of the main lake. The run across San Luis Res. is a long run and the wind/waves can turn it upside down in a few minutes. With a tube, if it gets too rough, I can simply kick in, and I usually fish 'upwind', so the waves can push me to shore. Simple and safe. I use this same logic when fishing the Forebay too. In addition, I don't use a float tube with bladder. I feel much safer with a 22" truck tube, so have stayed with a donut style float tube. I know this is 'old school', but for San Luis I want all the protection I can get! Grin!
Also with a float tube I don't have to get to the boat ramp by sundown, which is the absolute perfect time to fish top water at the Forebay! With a tube I can stay "under the radar", and avoid park/ramp closures at sundown.
For a float tube there are dozens of "ramps" with great access! Grin!

....plus I need the exercise! ; )

$.02
Lee

Cheers,