Bass Fishing for California smallmouth

[Paul Zimmer]

love me some SMallies so i am sharing some i got this yr!!!

 

[GaryH]

5 minutes ago, Paul Zimmer said:

love me some SMallies so i am sharing some i got this yr!!!

 

Couple of hogs….

[PressuredFishing]

On 9/9/2021 at 5:21 PM, Paul Zimmer said:

love me some SMallies so i am sharing some i got this yr!!!

 

Looks awesome! maybe its just me but the water is somewhat stained? what colors you like for smallmouth in that 1-3ft vis?

[Zippo Guy]

North or south of the Bay Area? 

[shimano]

On 9/15/2021 at 2:46 PM, PressuredFishing said:

Looks awesome! maybe its just me but the water is somewhat stained? what colors you like for smallmouth in that 1-3ft vis?

Big Bear?

[PressuredFishing]

2 hours ago, shimano said:

Big Bear?

I've only fished there once for trout, would fish there more but the dock owners don't like boaters fishing the docks and if you fish from shore your limited to 10% of the lake because large majority of the shore butts up to private property, plus it's kinda touristy imo. If your family is going there on a trip, by all means I'm not saying don't fish lol, it's still worth trying to snag a bass but I'm not driving 2-3 hours for a day trip to fish it if ya feel me.

[shimano]

I feel you man. I got kicked out of properties so much. 
it feels so bad to drive an hour just to not be able to fish.

[Paul Zimmer]

On 9/15/2021 at 3:24 PM, Zippo Guy said:

North or south of the Bay Area? 

Its east of the bay area i no longer live in the bay i live in the sierra's

On 9/15/2021 at 2:46 PM, PressuredFishing said:

Looks awesome! maybe its just me but the water is somewhat stained? what colors you like for smallmouth in that 1-3ft vis?

good question i like anything natural like blacks brn/orange also craw colors and baitfish colors Ea fishery is a little different for example i know a sm lake that the hot color is red. Also pumpkin baby bass colors work bluegill colors

On 9/21/2021 at 1:34 PM, shimano said:

Big Bear?

no its not big bear ! 

On 9/21/2021 at 4:02 PM, PressuredFishing said:

I've only fished there once for trout, would fish there more but the dock owners don't like boaters fishing the docks and if you fish from shore your limited to 10% of the lake because large majority of the shore butts up to private property, plus it's kinda touristy imo. If your family is going there on a trip, by all means I'm not saying don't fish lol, it's still worth trying to snag a bass but I'm not driving 2-3 hours for a day trip to fish it if ya feel me.

best fishing is upper bear res get a boat all your gear for camping and hike in.

[PressuredFishing]

2 hours ago, Paul Zimmer said:

Its east of the bay area i no longer live in the bay i live in the sierra's

good question i like anything natural like blacks brn/orange also craw colors and baitfish colors Ea fishery is a little different for example i know a sm lake that the hot color is red. Also pumpkin baby bass colors work bluegill colors

no its not big bear ! 

best fishing is upper bear res get a boat all your gear for camping and hike in.

are the rumors true there are SMB up in the eastern sierras?

[J._Bricker]

I’m going to say Lake Almanor fellas. Nice smallies @Paul Zimmer by the way 

[WRB]

It’s a NorCal lake and at max pool level, few California lake are full of water the past few years.

SoCal your best bet for 4 lb+ smallness is lake Arrowhead in San Bernardino mountains. Private lake so try to make friends with a resident.

Tom

 

[Hammer 4]

DVL has smallies, not sure how abundant they are. Heard rumors some years ago that they hang out around the USS Relief ( restroom ) going toward the dam. Flutter spoons and bladed jigs, not to mention hair jigs would be the baits of choice.  

[Darth-Baiter]

I’m gonna hit that lake this spring.  
 

I have local smallies in Lake Sonoma, but they take “smallie” literally. I’ve never gotten better than a 1.5lb. They fight awesome, so the thoughts of a 5lb with shoulders is a sirens sing to me. I bet it takes my kayak for a ride. 
 

I do love the “white out” in the original photo. Haha. Showing off but redacted. 

[J._Bricker]

The smallies aren’t big @Darth-Baiter, but they’re in the Russian River if you haven’t given it a try…

[Paul Zimmer]

On 11/23/2021 at 11:45 PM, Hammer 4 said:

DVL has smallies, not sure how abundant they are. Heard rumors some years ago that they hang out around the USS Relief ( restroom ) going toward the dam. Flutter spoons and bladed jigs, not to mention hair jigs would be the baits of choice.  

Yes Del Valle has some good smallies my best there was just over 3.6 lb on a walk the dog reaction innovations vixen bone white red gill was great for topwater jerkbaits get them as well and yes hair jigs spoons blade baits i know a guy i used to see trolling all the time with panther martin spinners those actually work pretty well but the panthers never get any size there Also a lv500 or jackall DN70 

On 11/23/2021 at 3:40 PM, WRB said:

It’s a NorCal lake and at max pool level, few California lake are full of water the past few years.

SoCal your best bet for 4 lb+ smallness is lake Arrowhead in San Bernardino mountains. Private lake so try to make friends with a resident.

Tom

 

I got 2 7+lbers lake pardee ca, thats where the state record is

On 9/22/2021 at 6:38 PM, PressuredFishing said:

are the rumors true there are SMB up in the eastern sierras?

Yes And Yes!

[Darth-Baiter]

On 11/24/2021 at 6:17 PM, J._Bricker said:

The smallies aren’t big @Darth-Baiter, but they’re in the Russian River if you haven’t given it a try…

Roger that.  My friend moved and his parting gift was his secret hike in spot on the RR. He kills them on Mepps spinners 

[WRB]

Eastern Sierra from Bishop in the Owens River to Lake Tenamaha has good Smallmouth Bass population.

Lake Pardee is in NoCal. Chris Fish caught  giant smallie at Pardee.

Lake Cachima and Pyramid also has decent Smallmouth population in SoCal.

Lake Havasu has excellent Smallmouth fishing  California/ Arizona border.

Tom

[Darth-Baiter]

On 12/2/2021 at 2:31 PM, WRB said:

Eastern Sierra from Bishop in the Owens River to Lake Tenamaha has good Smallmouth Bass population.

Lake Pardee is in NoCal. Chris Fish caught  giant smallie at Pardee.

Lake Cachima and Pyramid also has decent Smallmouth population in SoCal.

Lake Havasu has excellent Smallmouth fishing  California/ Arizona border.

Tom

The motherLode lakes all have smallies right?   They are an intimidating group of lakes.  On the far drive side, but I really want to try a few.  New Melones and almanor for sure 

[thewhitelotus]

Decent sized smallies in Topaz, right outside of Carson City!   That's my go-to spot!

[Sphynx]

The colors on those are so different from the fish I typically catch out of the Columbia, I wonder why it is that they are so much lighter, oxygen or light maybe?

[TnRiver46]

6 hours ago, Sphynx said:

The colors on those are so different from the fish I typically catch out of the Columbia, I wonder why it is that they are so much lighter, oxygen or light maybe?

The world may never know…………

 

 

I think they can change colors whenever they want. I’ve caught completely different colored smallmouth off the same spot on consecutive casts. They also change after being in a live well for a bit, which I think is what happened in the posted picture at the top of this thread since he’s got two of them