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Santa Margarita Lake and Reports

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Monday, April 18th, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: GOLD COAST WILL BE HOLDING IT'S SECOND TOURNEY OF THE YEAR THIS SATURDAY. SIGN UP'S WILL BE AT 6:00AM @ THE WHITE OAK LAUNCH RAMP.
    City: A.G.

Monday, March 28th, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: "Holy where did the bass go Batman?!" Couldn't buy a bite today. Threw it all, big worms, small worms, dark worms, light worms, shakin' worms, senkos, ikas, spinners, cranks, jerks.....NOTHING!! The water was a lot dirtier than just last Wednesday....don't know why, last night's rain couldn't have made it THAT dirty...or could it? Hell, I don't know. I fished many different depths...metered a lot of fish, but couldn't get bit.
    City: Atascadero

    Tips: Would like to get some insight as to where I might get on some fish.

Monday, March 21st, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Going to hit the lake this Wednesday. Looking for any tips as to where I can get into some fish and what's working best in these conditions, best colors, what depth to fish, etc.
    Will be 1st time on the water here since August of last year. Don't really know where to start since it's a totally different lake now that it's maxed out.
    Got into a great jerkbait bite(in 6"-6' of water) last year this same time but not sure if that's going to be the case now with this last rain, cooler temps, muddy water, and the lake being full.
    Thanks for any help someone can provide.
    City: Atascadero

Saturday, February 19th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 50-51

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished the gold coast trny saturday and managed a couple of fish on jigs/creature baits.
    City: Vandenberg AFB

    Tips: Most fish came on jigs, senkos. A couple on spinnerbaits. Find decent water clarity shallow and slow down.

Friday, February 18th, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Just gettin started in this fishin stuff. Got a 5 lb striper sun. Guess its a good start. Any clubs arround so a novice could learn?
    City: atascadero

Friday, January 28th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 48

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: the lake is like liquid mud right now. It's raining again and the bite is tough. However a few fish are being cought on white spinner baits "colorado blades" and 6to8"black paddle tail worms. Look for shallow cover.
    City: Atascadero

Monday, January 17th, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Went by the lake on Friday 14 water level is 102% of capacity spoke to ranger only ramp useable is White Oak no clear water anywhere did not get on the water so no information about the bite just the water level which looks great for the coming season
    City: bakersfield

Tuesday, December 21st, 2004

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    Water Temp: 60

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Lake is closed due to low water levels. shore fishing is still permited
    City: Santa Maria

    Tips: Only go to shore fish but do not bring a boat

Saturday, June 5th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 72

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Caught 8-9 fish with no discernable pattern. Top water in the am, carolina in the pm, and senkos in between. largest went 4+, total around 14-15 lbs. Increadibly hot, figured the fish went deep early in the day. Should have been where I went as well.
    City: lompoc

    Tips: throw to the gaps in the weeds near rocks. Top water at the weed edges early in the morning

Wednesday, May 12th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 70

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished rock walls with 6 and 10 inch purple plastics. Picked up 14 fish to 7 pounds. Best fived fish went 21 pounds 8 ounces. What a day!
    City: Paso Robles

    Tips: split shot very slow. That is what worked for me. Good luck!

Friday, April 9th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 60+

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Well bass fishing was tough to say the least. But the few we caught were quality fish. The five biggest went 6,4,3,3,and 2lbs. My buddy caught the 6. Only problem that was his only fish!!! Got you Rick. I caught one nice crappie as well. All in all a great time on the water with my best friend.
    City: Visalia

    Tips: Get there at day break, and fish the grass banks where the shad are boiling. The bite will end as quick as it starts. Then move out and drop shot.
    Jerk baits in shad color pattern worked best early. Tight lines to all.

Tuesday, April 6th, 2004

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    Water Temp: up to 65 degree

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Well, I've found the bass, even though the bite has slowed a bit since the weather cooled a little compared to a couple of weeks ago. Would like to know what they're biting on this week and how deep and far from the bank they are. Picked up a nice 3.5 Sunday right off the bank on a craw colored Lucky Craft Pointer 100 at around 8am and that was it for the next 5 hours!! NOW, I'm looking to find some crappie. I'd really appreciate some tips as to what they're biting on and the spots that are most likely to produce a limit for a nice fish fry. I've got a friend coming up from the valley and we plan on fishing Friday the 9th. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.
    City: Atascadero

    Tips: Looking for any and all

Saturday, March 20th, 2004

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    Water Temp: Low 60's

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Kickboat, launched from White Oak. To the left are some flat areas holding bass, a tourney was going on and watched a few being caught on a lipless crank shad color....for me 3 were caught using a Robo worm: Aarons Magic.
    City: Templeton,CA

    Tips: Bass reports from the lake are excellent!

Friday, March 19th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 65-68

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Got on the water at around 11:30. Caught 5 fish, 1.8,2.2,3.9,4.0, & 5.5. All were right up on the bank. Was using a Lucky Craft 100 and a Yamamoto Big Ika. Caught all fish by 2:15. It was a great day on the water!! All fish were released.
    YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE TODD!!! The up and coming "new" Bass Professor is on your heels.......get ready to step down from the throne..........

    Tips: Throw baits right at bank and hold on. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Saturday, January 31st, 2004

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I am new to the area and am an avid bass isherman. I have no idea where to begin on this lake this time o year. I have been on the water 4 times and haven't had even one bite. I am looking or any tips as to where I can get into some ish not only now, but in the upcoming months as the weather warms and the ish begin to stage/spawn.I have a season pass and plan to be on the lake as oten as possible. This is a very beautiul lake and the act that there are no water skiiers or jet skiiers allowed pretty much makes it a isherman's dream.Please, any locals that are regular to the lake, I would greatly appreciate a ew pointers.Thanks, tight lines and all that good stu, Rick
    City: Atascadero

Sunday, December 28th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 50

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Son, John, and I ished this beautiul lake again on Sunday, December 28, 2003, getting on the water in a rental boat at 8:45 a.m. We'd heard the lake's marina is closing ater the irst o the year, and that it may take several months (or longer) to ind a new concessionaire to operate the marina. The ramps will apparently remain open, but the marina with its store and rental boat operation will no longer be unctioning or a while. We were surprised at how low the lake level is -- a good 35-40 eet below ull pool. Key pieces o structure that we had previously ished were now totally exposed. (A great opportunity to study and photograph those pieces o structure so we'll be ready when the lake ills up again!) Started at the point across the lake rom the marina cove, and had our irst ish, a small bass (1 lb) within the irst 25 minutes. It took a 1/2 ounce Silver Buddy ished slowly on the bottom in about 20 eet o water. With no more takers on that point, we motored towards the dam, stopping to ish prominent points along the way. Graphed ish suspended 8 - 10 eet above the bottom in the main channel at several locations. Fished vertically and by casting to present several dierent lure types to those suspended ish but could get no response rom them. Long stretches o the shoreline were graphed and showed no ish whatsoever, no bass and no shad - many stretches were virtually barren. Tried several dierent presentations appropriate to the cold water temperature (jig-n-pig's, inesse worms, slow-rolled spinnerbaits, lipless and billed crankbaits ished slow on the bottom and at various depths, Silver Buddy slowly lited and dropped on the bottom, drop-shot rigs, 4" & 5" Senko, small spoons with trailers, small grubs, etc.) but no urther takers. Weeds along the shoreline were mostly brown and dying. Water was clear except down in the dam cove where it became stained. Ambient air temperature was cold in the morning (30 degrees) but warmed somewhat (into the 40's) as the sun rose higher in the sky which was clear. There was little or no wind all day. It was a very pleasant day or late December!
    City: Monterey, CA

    Tips: Watch or the diving birds eating small shad. They are helpul indicators o baitish location. Keep looking or the actively eeding ish, since the suspenders don't seem interested in eating.

Monday, January 20th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 52-55 degrees

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I started ishing lake santa margarita 13 years ago. This past year I had an experience that may only happen in a lie time. I was ishing by mysel just north o launch ramp, when I caught a 7lb 1oz bass. I put her in the live well, went back to the marina, where a gentleman was good enough to take a picture o me with the bass. I returned the bass where I caught her. Here is the amazing part o story. Not less than hal hour had passed when I caught an 8lb 2oz bass near the swimming hole cove. A buddy o mine saw me getting my picture taken with the irst bass, and it blew his mind when he saw the second bass in such a short turn around. He took my picture with bass and I released her. I have enjoyed many years o ishing Santa Margarita,I like the lake, not only because it's beautiul but also you don't have to contend with water skiers. Over the years I have many bass in 7lb class and one the 8lb class.
    City: atascadero

    Tips: you have be versital to ish this lake. I have used jig & pigs, spinbaits,senko's, to swim baits. You name it, I have tried it! The bueatiul part is they all work, when conditions are right. The other day (1/15/03) I caught six bass using a deep diving crank bait against a wind blown bank. I hope you enjoy the lake as much as I have. good luck.

Saturday, January 18th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 50-60'S

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I live in atascadero, and have ished santa margarita or 13 years. I have to tell you what happened to me this past spring.I was ishing by mysel just north o marina when I tied into 7lb 1oz bass.I took her to marina where a gentleman was launching his boat. He took a picture o me and the hog. shortly ater taking the picture, I returned the ish where I caught her. Here is amazing part o story, less thirty minutes later I caught a 8lb 2oz bass near the swing hole cove. A riend o mine saw me getting my picture taken with the irst bass,it blew him away when he saw the second bass, he took picture o that one. One bass was caught on rip bait and other crank bait. The bass in santa margarita are not lorida strain. In 1960 I also a bass which appeared to be in the 8lb class, and several in 7lb plus catagory. The lake has been good to me and I have really enjoyed ishing there.
    City: ATASCADERO

    Tips: I have ish rom jig & pigs,senko's, to swim baits. You have to be versital. The other day (1/15/03) I caught six bass ranging rom 2lb to 3lb, using a deep crank bait the water tempiture 54 degrees. Good luck--

Saturday, April 6th, 2002

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Coming down or a camping trip at Margarita April 18th - 22nd. Does anyone have any reports rom this lake? Please post or e-mail. Any tip would help.Thanks, Fredrico.
    City: Pleasanton

Friday, April 5th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Rolled up a big atty set the trolling motor on 3 and proceeded to wipe out an entire species by mid day. I practiced the usual catch, maime, and release!
    City: Atascadero

    Tips: early in the morning was using a watermellon with chartreuse laked hand grenade in 4 eet o water.