Joystix2 Loc: Santa Rosa, California

Hi all I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Ric and I moved up to the North bay Ca from the South bay (Fremont). I just moved up here about a year ago and wanted to learn more about the fishing up here in the Santa Rosa and Petaluma area. I've done some trout fishing at Lake Ralphine in Santa Rosa but wanted to learn more about bass fishing at Spring lake. I saw a bunch of people last weekend with float tubes and Kayaks fishing there. I actually have a pedal kayak I'd like to try out there. I've never bass fished in a lake using lures so I'd like to know all the different types of how to fishing for them and setups. I've only lure fished for trouts, fished for striped bass wiht cut anchovies in the south Delta or trolled for trout at Lake Del Valle in Livermore. I look forward to hearing from all you

sawheeler52 Loc: Escondido, CA

Welcome, Ric.
From a bass guy.
Most all are available as YouTube demos.
Drop shotted Robo Worms (Aaron's Magic my favorite color) or 4-5" Senkos (anything near pumpkin), probably wacky rigged.
Weightless or Texas rigged Senkos, all with Extra Wide Gap (EWG) hooks, probably 3/0 in size.
Fish all these slowly in constant contact with your weight. You need to feel it at all times to detect a pickup. Line watching is also important in case you don't feel the fish; but notice your line is moving. Set the hook.
If you are fishing in the weeds (even the thickest), my absolute favorite is the Double Fluke. Drawing attached. Note it contains 5-knots, kinda a drag; but worth it. Have caught 3 10lbers from shore at my home Lake Dixon in Escondido in San Diego County.
Gotta throw top water. Spro frogs or the Whopper Ploppers.
Various types of swim baits.
Spinner baits are a maybe. Blue/Chartreuse.
If small mouth are around, gotta throw 3/8 oz. bucktail jigs (chartreuse, crawdad and blue/black combo my favorite colors), maybe with a Creature plastic added. I associate small mouths with rocks, less weeds.
This, off the top of my head. Hope there is something in here that adds to your arsenal.
Stephen

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sawheeler52 Loc: Escondido, CA

Ric,
As a NYS transplant to SoCal, the absolute #1 productive presentation is the drop shot out here. Ask any guide what their clients catch their large mouths on. I predict 80% drop shots.

Joystix2 Loc: Santa Rosa, California

Thanks for the help. It'll help get me started on what to try. Thanks again

40GRIT Loc: San Ramon, CA

Welcome Joystix! Try PMing Bassmatters, I know he’s been fishing Spring lake and the Petaluma area somewhat and he's a Bass whisperer, Rhyno as well !

sawheeler52 Loc: Escondido, CA

Ric,
Admittedly I know nothing of the bodies of water you want to attack; but a bit more on my large mouth drop shot approaches:
Hooks:
Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shots. Size 2. It's a pretty small hook; but if you keep the tension on her, you have a pretty good chance of landing.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/gamakatsu-split-shot-drop-shot-hook. I usually choose black.
Weights:
I prefer the Skinny Sinkers. 1/4 oz. plus or minus. I use 1/4 more than others. I feel the skinnies perform well in weedy areas. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/lunker-city-bakudan-skinny-drop-shot-weight.
These weights are cool as there are no knots involved. They simply snap onto your line and perform well.
Re: wacky rigging Senkos:
Check this link out. An especially useful tool when you're drop shotting, using a small Size 2 hook and the Senko, itself is not real skinny (i.e. about the same size as the hook). Senko slides right into blue thing and you slide one of the O-rings onto the Senko middle. Importantly, you're not hooking the worm at all. You are just sliding the hook under the O-ring.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-xps-quick-rigger-tool
Links provided to give you some terminal tackle visualization.