My Berryessa report starts off waking up to a tornado warning on T.V and a look of OH SH1P in my eyes. With a 20 minute run to the back of Capell looking for some flip fish. Once I got there I was a lil bummed to see the water was rushing like a river and complete chocolate. I could see a cut where I have flipped fish in the past just down stream from where I was to get in. I thought to myself that with this much current the fish would be looking for spots to hide and that cut could protect them. I launch in calm water and oared out into the current headed towards my money water. I couldnt believe the strength of this water, it was lilerally a river right now. I was washed out and past my cut in a matter of seconds. I tried to oar and kick back up stream towards my water and truck but was just getting turned around and washed down stream. I finally grabbed a tree and held on as tight as I could to regain some strength and figuer a way to get back to my truck. I ended up having to hike back. What took less then 30 seconds of time to go down stream took over an hour to get back. It was pretty wild but not a good way to start Day 1. After getting loaded back up I headed to the capell launch ramp thinking the fish might have got pulled all the way out. I flipped jigs and 7" senko's as well as threw blades all through the entire front side of Capell and didnt even touched. The water clarity was still less then 1" and I knew I had to find something cleaner. On my way back to the ramp I found 3 guys in a 17' 1969 cruser boat stuck and headed to no mans land. I was the only one besides them out there, so i tried to get the boat started with now luck. Well for my 1st time I get to tow a boat in with my kickboat. I tied the rope onto my foot rest and towed them in, no fun but better then leaving them out there. I pulled out again and headed back to Steele park. I was back on the water between 10:30 and 11. With my morning pretty much a waste I had work to do. The water was much cleaner at Steele. I oared across to the first major point I could find and began working a 1/4oz wacko brown and purple jig with a purple single tail trailer. I was fishing the submerged wood and rock from 2-20ft. I ran up behind Steve (the new guy :) ) and stuck a largemouth in about 15' put him in the well, 2 casts later same spot I landed a decent S.M. I fished this spot for about 15-20 minutes spending most of my time with the jig but giving the darthead worm and wiggle wart some time as well. I didnt get bit again so I fished the jig up a bit to let that spot rest and about 5 minutes later went back and 1st cast another Smallie in the well. I think to myself I have been here for maybe an hour and 3 fish all ready...I still have work to do cause everyone that stayed here must be slammin em. I spent about another hour on this bank mixing up what I threw at them and didnt get bit. I went looking for more stuff like this. I made another pass on this bank a few hours later for nothing and was running out of time with still only 3 fish in the well. I decided to make a gut call and grab the dropshot and pound the marina for the rest of the day. I was able to dropshot #4 a squeeker L.M on the 1st set of docks. I fished the rest for nothing. I hooked up with Chris and Paul in the back of the marina and started flipping a senko in some brush and B.Sing with them when I flipped in and had a line jumper. As soon as I set on the fish I saw it but just smiled and fought it for a bit. I could see the look on Pauls face I think he is getting sick of me doing this kind of thing. :) I told them as I fought it "just wait till you see it"...It wasnt a bass this time but the 3lb carp gave us a good laugh. That ended day 1. I was extremely supprised to be in 2nd after day 1 with only 5.5lbs.

Day 2: I felt 3 of the 4 fish I caught day 1 were on 1 spot I needed to find another area like the spot I got the 3 on during day 1. I drove for a bit looking for a new area but ended up at spanish flat. I through blades and wiggle warts out to the main lake point at the mouth of spanish flat. Working a jig for a good part of the time then switching to the dropshot and finally got my 1st fish. It was a sqeeker S.M but #1. I continued to fish the point and surrounding area for another 30 minutes while eye balling the bank across the way, it looked to much like the back I did well on the day before. I eventually oared over to the shoreline and started chucking the jig again. I had 2 fish in 15 minutes take the tail off my jig so I knew they were there. After my 1st pass along this shore line and no hook ups I switched to the dropshot and picked up #2 right away. 15-20 minutes later I hook another but this fish is pinned in a tree in about 20' of water. I gently worked the fish out of the tree on 6lb test and put what would be my best fish in the well and my nicest S.M of the trip. from there on out it was pretty much the same. I caught quite a few fish culled a few and had a great time.

I found the fish on mud slide clay banks where stuff was falling off the shore all day because of the rain. These banks seemed to have more submerged wood and rock with good depth then any other I found. I was happy to work on my dropshotting since it is something I dont do often. See ya all at Banos.

Attachment #1, (.jpg file)
Attachment #2, (.jpg file)