* Where to fish

Chad Hole at Sweeney's Sports in Napa said it: Go to the ocean for the best fishing right now.

* Bodega Bay

Captain Dave brought back 80-pound sacks including rock and ling cod and some monster cabazone. Captain Les fooled a 38-pound king salmon using a downrigger and 12-pound test line.

Downrigging lets the angler use light tackle -- without a 2-pound weight to drag around.

A party of four can book the whole boat for down-rigging at just $150 per rod -- all inclusive. Call Wil's Bait & Tackle at 875-2323 for reservations.

* Clear Lake

Add Clear Lake to the short list of wide-open fishing spots. My partner and I boated and released 50 largemouth bass (and two bluegill) before noon the other day. Our top five fish would have gone 20 pounds total in a bass derby. Bring your drop shot rigs and plenty of MM III and Red Crawler six-inch Roboworms. Find some deep underwater rock piles and you are good to go.

* River Salmon Time

If you'd like a big string of king salmon to smoke, try the Feather River. As of July 19, the limit was three per person.

With the water still very warm, plan to fish early near the outlet downstream of Gridley.

Call Dave Jacobs at Professional Guide Service (800-355-3113) for bookings.

The king salmon season on the Sac (below Red Bluff) opened July 16 and the returning count looks good. Some 1,520 fish passed through the Red Bluff Dam this year to date -- versus only 1,303 at the same time in 2005.

The rest of the lower river opens Tuesday. With an estimate of more than 650,000 returning kings this year, expect a banner season.

The big fish so far this year was a 33-pound chrome bright king, caught on the first day. Dave Jacobs can guide you here as well as the Feather. But, the limit is only one king.

* San Pablo Dam Reservoir

Summer pattern -- hot mornings, quickly cooler evenings when the fog rolls in. Bring a jacket. Lower water means lots of shoreline for plunkers. It's also the perfect time to try out their new kayaks. Catfishing is best; try chicken livers, crawlers, anchovies or mackerel.

They get a new stock every Sunday. Last week it was 1,250 pounds. Bass are biting swim baits, crawdad colored cranks, crawlers and Senkos.

* Whopper Board

Tops this week were 13.6- and 13.1-pound catfish, 8-pound rainbow and a 6-pound bass.

* Lake Berryessa

The Spanish Flat Marina (966-7708) reported in to say, "It's Hot Up Here." Best bet is cat fishing on any bank around the lake. Try dip bait, livers, hot dog chunks.

Trollers for trout and salmon will have to go deep (70-100 feet).

Pull a Needlefish behind a flasher in your favorite spots.

* California Delta

While it's hot out there, too, we have reports of a good striper bite in most Delta channels from Sherman Island, Decker Island, Isleton Pier, Isleton Bridge and Walnut Grove.