Conditions Help!!!!!

[Campobassmaster]

Hey SU,

 

Recently I've run into some issues, I'm going to describe what I'm faced with to the best of my ability, and want some input on guys here that have more years doing this than myself.

 

I live in Northern CA, outside of San Fransisco in the East Bay. 

 

The lake I fish the most being closest to me is shore access only, no docks, and mainly get to fish a few main lake points and their coves.   The lake is controlled by a company and they control the water level I believe, or well can drop it if they like to.... The lake has dropped a lot lately, and the bite has been tough.  

 

The main cove/finger I fish in has a steeper side to the north and a more gradual shallow side on the south, with each having a flat at the back of the cove. The north shore becomes deeper water much quicker, but by the time the two shores go out to the main lake points they are around 40 ft of water (at least as far as my deeper can cast out). There isn't much visual structure on either shoreline, some rock faces here and there or dead bushes that don't provide much cover, maybe a log or few but a lot of it is out of the water right now. The lake has steelhead/trout, I have seen them accidentally caught on jigs and such but never got one myself, but it also has an abundance of gills and craws, along with what seems to be a small shad or possibly silverside minnows. I have also heard of there being sturgeon, and have seen a dead sucker and figure there are carp and catfish in there.  I have only caught largemouth bass out of here, so far.

 

I have had luck on jigs a ton, which makes sense with the craws, and I have upsized to the deadhorse craws for some fish, but the only swimbaits i have gotten bit on are the black tiny klash and gantarel.

 

Seeing the fish love jigs and bottom baits, I try to creep a hudd or mag by them, or a mattlures ultimate gill, hudd 68, mission fish, for smaller stuff, but am still yet to get bit on any of those!  I have thrown some of everything I have and its hard to tell what to do. I'm trying to use my knowledge of from past conventional fishing of the lake but it isn't really translating into the big baits. 

 

So what should I look for with dropping water levels? they shouldn't get much lower I believe, and the water is somewhat clear, no less than 1-2' vis with possibly more. The last temperature I had it at was high 60's and I have caught a good amount of pre and post spawn fish in late April, early May, and I think they are ending spawn. 

 

There aren't many weeds right now, but lots of dead leaves on the bottom when I try to slow roll a BBZ or such. I have noticed that where I got bit previously had tiny drop offs to it, as this lower water level lets me examine the shoreline that was previously submerged, but I couldn't come up with a pattern as I caught fish in both shallow and deeper water on the same day, same bait. 

 

What should I be trying if I know there are fish there that eat baits like a jig, but won't get a sniff on dragging, slow rolling, jigging a hudd type bait right where they are?

[Moleman]

fish faster, and look for shallow cover

[LUV-2-CATCH'EM]

I would Try a swimmer on an open jig head and fish it aggressively- rip it off the bottom and fish it like a jig...

[dominioncaster]

If bottom is clean try letting a glide sink to the bottom and hop it with two quick handle turns then let it sink to bottom again on a tight line.

[Campobassmaster]

bump!!! need some help on this guys!

[SPEEDBEAD]

The dropping water could have made the fish pull back and suspend too. If there are shad there, good chance they are out over open water right now too with the fish located beneath them.

 

Sounds tough. I'd find another lake just based on the shore access only IMO.

[Campobassmaster]

The dropping water could have made the fish pull back and suspend too. If there are shad there, good chance they are out over open water right now too with the fish located beneath them.

 

Sounds tough. I'd find another lake just based on the shore access only IMO.

 thanks wayne!

 

Since I'm not positive they are shad, what could I do to possibly catch one and find out? I haven't ever caught a shad before or seen em shallow etc.   

 

What are some good baits for suspending fish? I've tried glides and topwater.

[SPEEDBEAD]

If you've got that Deeper, I'd use it to locate them and gauge their location in the water column. Pick a bait you can effectively work at that depth.

 

Really not many options without a boat and without them relating hard to something you can either see or know is there.

[Campobassmaster]

If you've got that Deeper, I'd use it to locate them and gauge their location in the water column. Pick a bait you can effectively work at that depth.

 

Really not many options without a boat and without them relating hard to something you can either see or know is there.

yeah makes sense, I've mostly used the deeper for temp and depth as I have caught fish out of areas that didn't "mark" fish, maybe im reading it wrong but I looked at guides on how to read it lol...... idk

[G3bassin]

I know around here after the spawn there is about a 2 week funk where it's almost impossible to get a good bite on a big bait. You can fish conventional lures and catch a lot of keepers and have big fish roll and swat but they won't eat it. Like speed mentioned falling water could have them pulled out and suspending which makes them really hard to find and fish from shore. Maybe try somewhere else and come back to that lake in a week or so. If the water level has stayed the same or came back up the fish might pull back up to the shallows again.