Two major bass tournaments will operate out of the south end of the lake this month. Both tournaments will operate out of the Konocti Harbor Resort &Spa. On Saturday, WON-BASS will hold a two-day pro/am tournament and then on Sunday, April 20, the huge FLW-Outdoors Stren tournament will have a four-day run with the first three days being out of Konocti Harbor Resort and on the final day, April 23. The weigh-in will be the Wal-Mart parking lot in Clearlake. The daily weigh-ins for both tournaments will start at 3 p.m.
With the new boat inspection ordinance to protect the lake from the quagga mussel now in effect, a number of boaters are wondering where they can get their boats inspected in the south county. Presently there are five locations in the south end of the lake that will inspect boats. They are Clearlake Bait and Tackle and Lakeshore Bait and Tackle located on Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake. In Clearlake Oaks, Limit Out Bait and Tackle and Flagship Marina are official inspection stations. For those that live in Middletown, the Twin Pine Casino is a boat inspection station.
Local residents who keep their boats in the county aren”t required to have their boats inspected as long as the boat stays in the county. They can receive a sticker from the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce and all they have to do is sign an affidavit stating that their boat has been in the county. The sticker is free until Monday, June 30, and is good until Jan. 1, 2009. After June 30 there will be a fee for the sticker. The amount hasn”t yet been determined. However, if they take their boat out of the county, even to local lakes like Lake Berryessa, it must be inspected before it can be launched in any waters in Lake County.
It”s not just boats but all watercraft are required to be inspected and display a sticker and that includes float tubes, canoes, rubber rafts, towables, jet skis and even rowboats. If it floats in the water, it has to be inspected.
The penalty for not having a valid sticker and receiving a citation is $100 for the first offense, $200 for second offense and $500 or more for the third offense.
County officials hope the inspection program will keep out the invasive quagga mussels. The mussels are now in Southern California and Arizona. With many fishermen arriving to fish in the big tournaments held on Clear Lake the fear is that some of the boats coming from the infested areas will carry the mussels or their larva to Clear Lake.
Terry Knight can be reached at tknight3021@sbcglobal.net or by calling (707) 263-1699. Letters intended for publication that respond to Mr. Knight”s column can be sent to letters@clearlakeobserver.com.
