Bass action has slowed a tad at Clear Lake but is still rated very good. The problem is not that fishermen aren”t catching fish, it”s the size. The results of the two-day Bob”s Marine Stratos tournament held last weekend were a good example as it took only 44.48 pounds to win the tourney and just 32 pounds to get a check.
The tournament drew 97 boats.
Most of the tournament fishermen brought in limits on both days and caught their fish on topwater lures and by drop-shotting.
The big news on the lake has been the outstanding catfish action. Catfish are being caught from the Lakeport area all the way to Cache Creek in the south end of the lake. As one fisherman put it, “This is like the good old days when we used to catch 10 to 20 catfish per day.”
Cut mackerel, nightcrawlers and even dead shad have been the top baits.
Speaking of shad, there are now huge schools of dead shad just about everywhere. This is normal. Threadfin shad are a fragile fish and any change in water temperature will cause massive die-offs. They also are a short-lived fish. The die-off is nature”s way of controlling the millions of shad in the lake.
Trout action has been only fair at Upper Blue Lake. The more successful fishermen have been trolling deep with Needlefish or Kastmasters. The bass fishermen are finding their fish at depths of 25-35 feet and are drop-shotting plastic worms.
The East Branch of the Russian River was scheduled to be stocked this week. The problem is that this area draws a lot of fishing pressure.
Indian Valley Reservoir is providing good bass action, however, the kokanee fishing has slowed. The lake is practically empty of fishermen. I deer hunted near the lake on Friday and there wasn”t a single boat on the water.
Zone A deer hunters go into their final week of the season and the hunting has been poor to date. Several of the private clubs have failed to take a single deer and other hunters say they just aren”t seeing many deer.
The B zone opens on Saturday and most of the hunters will be in the Mendocino National Forest and hunting at the higher elevations. The cooler weather should help the hunting.
Hunters are cautioned that the fire danger is very high. The game wardens also will be out checking hunters for loaded guns in vehicles and for trespassers. If you”re driving around the national forest at night and see a big buck in your headlights, there is a good chance it is the deer decoy the wardens use to catch poachers.
Hunters should also be on the lookout for ticks. Ticks are common throughout the county and some carry Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is caused by the bite of a tick and if left untreated can cause crippling effects. Anyone who hikes or works in the woods, gathers firewood or hunts can catch the disease. Lake County residents are especially at risk of catching the disease.
Lake County residents can learn more about Lyme disease on Tuesday from one of the world”s foremost experts. Dr. Robert S. Lane, professor at the University of California in Berkley, has done extensive research on Lyme disease and will speak in an open forum at the Board of Supervisors Chambers at the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport starting at 7 p.m.
Lane will discuss how you catch Lyme disease, how it can be treated and what precautions to take when in the woods. The meeting is open to the public and is free. Medical personnel are also encouraged to attend.
Call 463-4495 for more information.
