Berryessa

[kokaneejr]

So with my new found still water skills (Thanks Scott) I decided to try my hand at some warmwater fishing at Lake Berryessa Saturday. I launched my tube at a nice free picnic site called Smittle Creek. They have done a nice job in recent years cleaning up the areas around the lake and this spot even has a buoy marked no gas motor zone. IT was calm and peaceful as I stared out.


Tried an intermediate line and a black wiggle tail for about an hour with no success although I dismissed a couple of possible bites as snags. Switched to a green and white clouser as I saw a shad jump on the surface and immediately got hits but no fish. Then finally success, not sure what I was expecting but it fought well and was beautiful.


With new found confidence I proceeded to not catch anything for about 2 hours. Got to a shallow area only to see small fish following my fly but not biting it. Changed to a light colored muddler minnow pattern and immediately got strikes. Fished it like a popper and caught dozens of small bass. Now when I say small I mean4-6 inches. But they were fun to fool and any fish on top is fun.


All in all a fun day but I need to figure out how to catch the big guys now.

[Scott V]

That is one cute little bass, next year he might weight half a pound.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In the spring the bass come up into the shallows to spawn in Lake Berryessa.

You can see them in the shallows where the tributaries enter the lake.

April/May I think?

They should be coming up shallow again now in the fall too.

I guess mid-winter and mid-summer the bass are deep.

Might be some Threadfin activity on top on calm days right about now.

[kokaneejr]

Scott no way that would be half a pound he is hoping for 4 ounces next year.

Bill I saw a few shad jump out of the water when I was casting some bigger flies. Saw an injured on trying to swim past so they are in there. Tried a clouser pattern with no success after seeing it. Any other fly advice?

[Greg F]

That bass is bite size for the bigguns Try a baby bass Clouser. Olive over white with some gold flashabou lateral line. Small, like a 6. Works for me sometimes, I've never fished Berryessa though.

[Darian]

Haven't been there in a couple of years but am wondering if any of the closed resorts have re-opened Seems like a lot of places to fish are available but have access issues over there....

[kokaneejr]

Darian

Not sure about resorts but when talking with the ranger he said that the area near the Putah Creek arm was almost ready to open. I have heard of people launching out of the Steele Park and Spanish Flat area but I don't have any first hand info. I did see that Capell Creek(free) ramp was open and a bass club was having a small tourney on the day I fished. The places that I fished were all spots you could easily take a tube or canoe. Free parking lots of picnic areas and a 1.5 mile trail between the parking areas.
Hope this helps

[jbird]

That first picture really makes me want to go fishin.

[Nomadic Fisherman]

Use to fly fish this lake alot. Found fishing the points better than the coves.
I used a full sinking line with a Dalberg or Muddler type fly. Sometimes a sink tip with a Clouser / Meat Whistle.

Good Times.

[kokaneejr]

Thanks nomadic,

I tried again on Thursday thinking the lake would begin turning over, but it was about 85 degrees so probably not anytime soon. I started at oak shores park and tried different techniques. The light colored muddler didn't do anything this time. I was able to catch a little bigger fish, but not much using a hopper as an indicator and a bead-head pheasant tail as a dropper. Caught maybe 20 but of no size.

This time I did see fish chasing bait on the surface and threw clousers and poppers and wollybuggers into it but to no avail.

I will keep trying and learning and maybe I will figure this lake out