Bass fishing continues at a torrid pace on Clear Lake. Despite the warm weather and the dropping lake level, most of the fishermen are having little trouble catching and releasing 20-40 fish per day.
The best part of the fishing is the outstanding topwater action. Bass have been hammering topwater lures throughout the day and not just in the mornings and evenings, which are the traditional times for topwater fishing.
The best topwater lures are those making a lot of noise and moving a lot of water. Lures such as the Skitter Pop, RICO, Zara Spook, Baby Torpedo and Pop-Rs are all catching fish. The trick is to move the lures fast and then pause. Most of the time bass grab the lure during the pauses.
Here is a trick that a few fishermen are using to catch the larger bass. They are rigging the topwater lures on a medium-action spinning rod and skipping them beneath the low-hanging docks. The best docks are the ones suspended less than a foot above the water. The bass seek the shade in these dark areas and they will slam a topwater lure that”s cast to them. I tried this technique on the docks north of Lakeport on Thursday and caught several bass in the 5-pound-plus class. In fact, on one low-hanging dock I couldn”t see the lure after I skipped it beneath the dock. All I heard was the explosion of a 5-pounder grabbing the lure, and the fight was on.
Heavy weed growth has been a problem in the Lakeport area. Most of the docks are now choked with weeds and nearly impossible to fish. In fact, in many areas the weeds extend out into the lake for more than one-half mile.
In the south end of the lake, the best action has been at the rockpiles, with jigs being the top lure. This is also where the larger bass are being caught.
Jeremy Taylor and James Herrman of Kelseyville took top honors in the American Bass team tournament held on Sunday. Kevin Hall of Middletown and Scott Sexton of Kelseyville took second place. The tournament drew 40 teams and all weighed in limits of fish. The average overall weight per fish in the tournament was a hefty 3.7 pounds. It took 22.26 pounds to receive a check.
The lake level continues to drop and is now at 3.89 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. That”s 2 feet lower than last year at this time. The release of water at the dam has been averaging about 300 cfs, which means the lake level could be nearing zero on the Rumsey Gauge by late August.
Crappie action has been limited to the south end of the lake. The docks at Konocti Harbor Resort are producing a few crappie, but you really need a boat. Four Poles also has been kicking out a few crappie.
Catfish action is rated as fair to good depending on where you are fishing. The Cache Creek area is producing a few fish. Horseshoe Bend is also providing decent action for those soaking cut bait.
The East Branch of the Russian River is scheduled to be stocked with trout this week. Upper Blue Lake won”t be stocked until next month. A few trout are being caught by trollers working the middle of the lake. Bank fishing has been very slow.
The lake level at Indian Valley Reservoir continues to drop and is now 70 feet down from full. Kokanee action has been very slow and the same applies to trout. Bass fishing has been very good.
Winds and rough seas continue to play havoc with ocean salmon fishermen at Fort Bragg. The party boats are only averaging about a fish per rod on the good days. The good news is the bottom fishing has been excellent.
The Zone A deer archery season gets under way at dawn on Saturday and hunters can expect only a so-so season. The drought and declining deer herd will limit success. Hunters are reminded to be extra careful not to start a wildfire. There are restrictions on campfires in the Mendocino National Forest and on Bureau of Land Management lands. You can only have a campfire in an approved campground.
