Heavy smoke has kept most of the fishermen off Clear Lake, but for the few anglers venturing out there the bass fishing has been very good.
Topwater action remains the most productive method of fishing, but even here you have to change tactics constantly to be successful. A good example was last week when I spent a day topwater fishing with Dan Stahlman of Lakeport. We caught and released more than 50 bass and all were caught on buzz baits cast near the weed beds in the Lakeport area. Other topwater lures wouldn”t even draw a strike, but when we retrieved a buzz bait tight to the weeds we would immediately get a strike.
I tried the same technique on Monday and got only a few blowups. I then switched to a Skitter Pop and made short casts in the small openings and immediately started catching fish. Some of the more productive areas were where the openings were less than three feet across.
Another lure that has been very productive has been the Horny Toad made by Zoom. This is a soft plastic lure with a pair of legs. The lure is rigged weedless on a size 5/0 hook and cast on top of the weed mats. The lure is retrieved with a steady retrieve, which makes the legs wiggle and splash. The bass have been grabbing the lure just as it comes off the weed mats. The best colors have been either a purple or June bug. The lure comes in a package of five and can be purchased at the local tackle shops.
Bass are also being caught in good numbers on jigs, Senkos and by drop-shotting a plastic worm. According to local guide Bob Myskey, the bass are feeding heavily on crawdads, which explains why the jig bite has been good.
The trick to success is to keep moving. The weeds in the lake are providing a vast amount of cover for the bass and the fish aren”t concentrated in any one area. In fact, bass are being caught more than 1,000 yards offshore. Both the north and south ends of the lake are producing fish.
WON BASS will hold a swimbait-only tournament on Saturday. It”s a team event and only swimbaits will be allowed. All boats will be inspected prior to the blast-off. In other words, no other type of lure will be allowed in the boat. The tournament will go out of the Skylark Shores Motel in Lakeport and sign-ups start at 4 a.m. at the Tackle It tackle shop in Lakeport. The weigh-in begins at noon.
Catfish action is still rated fair for the few fishermen going after them. There have been a few catfish caught off the docks at the Lakeside County Park. The best action has been in Cache Creek and Horseshoe Bend.
A few crappie are also being caught. Tony Benevento of the Indian Beach Resort in Glenhaven said the night fishing for crappie has been good off the docks at the resort. According to Benevento, the best action has been between the hours of 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., and some of the crappie have been weighing up to 3 pounds. Benevento says that no bluegill are being caught off his docks. You could load up the boat with bluegill last year, but not this year.
The East Branch of the Russian River will be stocked with trout this week and again next week. Upper Blue Lake will be stocked next week.
The road going into Indian Valley Reservoir is closed because of the Walker Ridge wildfire. The smoke is so thick at the lake that it would be unhealthy to go there even if the road was open. The road will probably remained closed for several days. The fires also have curtailed access to Lake Pillsbury.
