The bass pros return to Clear Lake starting today for a two-day WON BASS Tri-States Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Konocti Vista Casino, Resort and Marina in Lakeport. The TOC runs through Saturday and the weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. each day.
The team tournament is expected to draw approximately 125 boats and the fishermen will find the fishing has toughened up. Most of the local guides report they are having to work hard to scratch out 10 bass per day for their clients. Most of the bass being caught are 2- or 3-pounders with an occasional 5-pounder.
Part of the problem has been the color of the water, which is a deep red from the fall algae blooms. A number of fishermen have labeled Clear Lake the “Red Sea.”
The good news is the water is starting to clear in the south end of the lake and it should improve the fishing. The area north of Lakeport is still rated poor by most of the anglers.
I fished the area from the Lakeside County Park to the state park on Wednesday and did manage to catch a dozen bass by drop-shotting a Maverick Oxblood-Blue plastic worm in the edges of the tules. The water depth varied from 3-4 feet and the trick was to be patient and work the worm slowly. When drop-shotting in shallow water I normally rig the sinker only 8-10 inches below the plastic worm. This allows the worm to suspend near the bottom.
In the south end, the best lure has been a lipless crankbait retrieved over the rockpiles. A few fishermen have been finding success by yo-yoing the lure so that it bounces off the bottom. Jigs also have been working.
Angler”s Choice held its team Semi-Pro TOC over the weekend and it took only 41 pounds to win the two-day event. The field was limited to 50 boats and the winning team took home $33,000 in cash and prizes.
The Clear Lake Bassmasters will hold their annual Bass Derby on Oct. 15. The entry fee is $120, which includes a big-fish option. The tournament is a team event and fishermen can sign up just prior to blast-off at the Konocti Vista Casino, Resort and Marina. Entry forms are available at all the local tackle shops. Call 263-7277 for more information.
Catfish action on Clear Lake continues to be excellent. Both the north and south ends of the lake are kicking out some huge catfish, including a number between 15-25 pounds. There are also a lot of 3- to 5-pound catfish being caught. Shrimp or cut mackerel have been the top baits.
There is a new tackle shop in the county. Clear Lake Outdoors is located at 96 Soda Bay Road, just south of Lakeport. The huge shop has 3,200 square feet of showroom space. According to manager Tim Cooke, the shop will carry mostly bass tackle and feature all the latest lures, rods and reels. The shop is owned by Mark Mendez of Angler”s Choice. The hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The telephone number is 262-5852.
Clear Lake Outdoors joins four other tackle shops situated around the lake. They are Tackle It in Lakeport, Lakeshore Bait and Tackle and Clearlake Bait and Tackle, both in Clearlake near Redbud Park, and Limit Out Bait and Tackle in Clearlake Oaks.
Trout action remains slow at Upper Blue Lake. A few trout are being caught by trollers, but overall it”s hardly worth the effort. Bass fishing has been good for fishermen working a plastic worm in 25 feet of water.
At Indian Valley Reservoir, the kokanee fishing is over for the year. The lake will be stocked with trout in November. Bass fishing has been good for the few anglers out on the lake.
