Lake Berryessa Fishing Report

Lake Berryessa - Winters, CA (Napa County)

Lake Berryessa Fishing Report

by Frank Galusha
3-2-2016
(530) 215-3487
Website

Just finished wrapping up the second stop on the California Tournament Trail at Lake Berryessa and although finishing towards the rear end of the field I was lucky enough to win 1st place big fish on the AM side. After spending two days on the water it was from my experience fish were still in the winter stage and beginning their transition into early prespawn behavior. What this means is fish moving from their deeper haunts towards the flat and or shallow bays they will spawn in. Targeting western shorelines where the sun would warm the banks quicker I looked for highways connecting the main lake current to these shallower areas and focused on the first main break or ledge. Cycling through these areas repeatedly throughout the day under the overcast skies offered quality bites on Arigs, swimbaits and crankbaits. When the fish had moved up to feed bites were instant, if not it was wise to move on and come back later. Once the sun was out the same staging areas still held fish but they seemed to be much more sluggish, pressured and deeper. Resulting to senkos and shakey heads provided bites from the same quality fish we had found in those areas. There was also an abundance of grass all over the lake in the 8-20 foot range depending on the bank and fish were caught in the grass using chatterbaits, weedless swimbaits and jigs if fished patiently and thoroughly. You can expect water temps anywhere from low 50s to high 50s by the end of the day with water clarity around 2-5 feet. I hope my observations from the last couple of days help you target the larger fish Berryessa has to offer.



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