Winds and cool temperatures have slowed the bass action at Clear Lake, but the fishing remains good overall with some huge bass being caught.
The results of the WON BASS team tournament held on Sunday were a good example. The winning team was Bob Higgins and Steve Perkins of Clearlake Oaks with a five-fish limit weighing 31.93 pounds. They anchored their total with the big fish of the tournament, a 12.53-pound trophy bass. They won $2,875 and said they caught most of their fish in the south end of the lake on jigs.
The tournament drew 35 teams and the average fish weight was an incredible 4.04 pounds.
Those anglers who don”t mind braving the cold and wind and who are fishing at night have been catching some huge bass. The best action has been in the Clearlake Oaks arm and jigs have been the top lure.
For those who are fishing during the daylight hours, the swim bait has been the top lure for the larger bass. Drop-shotting a plastic worm also has been effective. Of course, it goes without saying that jumbo minnows continue to be the No. 1 fish-catcher on the lake and tackle shops have been selling thousands of minnows.
The bass aren”t on their spawning beds, however, that should change as the water warms up. The ideal water temperature for a bass to start spawning is 62 degrees. Lately the water temperature has been holding between 52-58 degrees.
Some of the more productive areas have been Rodman Slough, Rocky Point, Rattlesnake Island, Konocti Bay, the State Park and the Nice-Lucerne shoreline.
The Nice-Lucerne Volun-teer Firefighters Association will hold a benefit bass team tournament on April 18. The tournament will go out of Lucerne Harbor Park and the entry fee is $100 per boat with a $20 big-fish option. Call 274-8834 to sign up. You can also go to www.northshorefpd.com for more information.
Catfish action is slowly starting to improve. The best fishing has been near Cache Creek and at Rattlesnake Island. The docks at the Indian Beach Resort in Glenhaven are also producing catfish.
Crappie action remains very slow although a few crappie are being caught in the Clearlake Oaks Keys.
The Clear Lake Outdoors tackle shop in Lakeport has new owners. Troy Bellah and Dave Brabec purchased the shop from Mark Mendez. According to Bellah, the tackle shop hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They carry a complete line of bass tackle, including rod and reels and all types of lures (including the latest in swim baits). They also carry live bait, including jumbo minnows. The shop also has catfish, trout and steelhead equipment. They also sell fishing licenses.
Both Bellah and Brabec are experienced bass fishermen as well as fishing guides. They can give you the latest fishing reports. The shop is located on 96 Soda Bay Road in Lakeport and the telephone number is 262-5852.
Bellah said he will continue to be the tournament director for the Angler”s Choice team tournaments that operates out of Konocti Vista Casino, Resort and Marina.
No reports are coming out of Lake Pillsbury, which the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) stocked with trout last week. However, the fishing should be good as the lake is 85-percent full.
Turkey hunters saw mixed action for their opener. Most of the hunters reported that the hens were still bunched up and the toms were difficult to call in. One hunter said he bagged a big tom out of the Cache Creek Wildlife Area and heard a number of gobbles from other birds. Overall the hunting pressure was down considerably compared to previous years.
The good news is that just about all the hunters saw and heard plenty of birds. Normally the toms become active by the middle of April, so the best is yet to come.
