Cold and bitter weather has slowed the fishing action at Clear Lake. That and a lack of tournaments have reduced the fishing pressure. However, there are bass being caught despite the sub-freezing temperatures.
According to George Bates of Tackle It tackle shop in Lakeport, the action has been good north of Lakeport using a shaky head jig rigged with a 6-inch plastic worm. The shaky head is 1/4-ounce jig head with a special screw protruding out of the sinker. The end of the plastic worm is screwed on the head and the worm is rigged weedless Texas style. This allows the tail of worm to suspend off the bottom. The best worm is a Maverick worm in the oxblood-blue pattern.
Fishermen should cast the lure to the docks or over the rocks and allow it to sit on the bottom, which causes the tail of the worm to float.
With the water temperature hovering at 50 degrees in the mornings, many of the fishermen are switching to live jumbo minnows and doing very well. Guide Tony Giorgi said that his clients caught more than 30 bass on Wednesday in the north end of the lake using jumbo minnows. Minnows can be purchased at Limit Out Bait and Tackle in Clearlake Oaks, Lakeshore Bait and Tackle in Clearlake, Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport and at Fastop Market in Lakeport. A dozen jumbo minnows costs about $12.
Other fishermen are having success casting lipless crankbaits such as the Lucky Craft 100 or 500 models. The Izuri lipless crankbait in the baby bass pattern also has been effective.
If none of the above works then go to the old standard of drop-shotting a plastic worm. This style of fishing is so easy that even a child can master it. All you do is attach a size No. 2 hook about 12 inches up the line and then attach a small sinker on the bottom. The plastic worm is rigged weedless on the hook and the entire rig is cast to the docks or back into the tules and allowed to sink to the bottom. Shake the tip of your rod and turn the reel handle one or two turns. Do this all the way back to the boat. When a fish grabs the worm all you will feel is a slight pull.
The outstanding crappie fishing continues to grab the spotlight. For example, George Hill of Kelseyville fished strictly for crappie earlier this week and his 10 largest crappie weighed more than 20 pounds, an average of more than two pounds per fish.
The best action continues to be at Kono Tayee and Shag Rock. The docks at Indian Beach resort in Glenhaven also are giving up decent numbers of crappie. In addition, there are other locations around the lake that are starting to produce fish.
Catfish action has been slow with only a few fishermen having any success. The best action has been in the south end of the lake near Redbud Park.
Only one report has come out of Indian Valley Reservoir and that was of a fisherman catching a limit of trout while trolling the center of the lake with a red/gold Kastmaster near the surface. He said he was the only one on the lake.
Upper Blue Lake has been kicking out a few trout for both trollers and bank fishermen. The trollers are using either a Needlefish or a Kastmaster and trolling near the surface. The lake is scheduled to be stocked next week. Bass action has been slow.
Duck hunters are still waiting for some northern birds to arrive. Most of the refuges in the Sacramento Valley have been averaging less than two birds per hunter. Starting today the motorized spinning wing decoys can be used and that should improve the hunting.
The spinning wing decoy is standard decoy that has wings that are rotated by a small electric motor. The spinning wing decoy mimics a duck that is hovering over a set of decoys and is very effective at attracting ducks from a distance.
