The good news on the fishing scene is that the crappie are finally starting to bite. According to Tony Benevento of Indian Beach Resort in Glenhaven, his customers are catching some huge crappie off the resort”s docks, some weighing more than 2 pounds.
Benevento said the best fishing has been at night. He said fishermen in boats fishing near the docks also have been catching crappie. As a bonus, the fishermen are also catching some large catfish. The public can fish off the Indian Beach Resort docks for a small fee.
The crappie fishery at Clear Lake has been like a yo-yo. One year the crappie are everywhere and the next year you can”t find a fish. Hopefully this recent action signals a start of a resurgence of the crappie fishery at the lake.
On the bass fishing scene, cool weather continues to delay the spawning season. Most of the fishermen report seeing few fish on the spawning beds. However, the action has been good overall as most of the fishermen are catching 10-15 fish per day. Jumbo minnows continue to be the top bait followed by jigs and drop-shotting a plastic worm. The bass are averaging from 2-4 pounds. Some of the better areas have been Rodman Slough, Konocti Bay, the state park and the Nice-Lucerne shoreline.
There is also decent action for shore fishermen. Earlier this week a fisherman using nightcrawlers was catching good numbers of bass off the shore near Library Park in Lakeport. Bass are also being caught off the docks at Lakeside County Park.
The annual Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven Catfish Derby is scheduled for May 15-17. More than 500 fishermen are expected to enter the derby. The entry fee is $40 for adults and $10 for kids under 16. The winning adult will take home a new boat, motor and trailer.
Upper Blue Lake will be stocked with trout on April 27. According to Narrows Resort owner Art Cerini, the trout are being purchased with private money from the Mt. Lassen Trout Hatchery. A couple of the fish will be in the 10-pound class.
The Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee recently voted to give $3,400 toward the purchase of the trout. The funding has to be approved by the Lake County Board Of Supervisors. The county money will supplement the private money used to buy the trout.
Lake Pillsbury will be stocked with trout next week. It will be the second planting in the past month. The lake is presently 86 percent full and the fishing should be good. Lake Pillsbury also provides excellent bass fishing.
There is very little information coming out of Indian Valley Reservoir. One person who recently visited the lake said there was only one other fisherman there and he was catfishing from the shore. The ramp is still out of the water but cartop boats can be launched.
The lake has been providing excellent smallmouth bass fishing, the best action being along the riprap at the dam. The campgrounds are open and the gravel road into the lake is in fair condition.
Turkey hunters continue to find mixed action. Some of the hens are now sitting on their eggs, which should put the toms on the move looking for new hens. The downside has been the weather. Hunting turkeys in the rain is difficult because the birds don”t like to move.
To me hunting is more than just shooting the bird or animal. It gives me a chance to also observe nature. I was hunting turkeys on Wednesday in the Mendocino National Forest and put out a hen decoy in an attempt to lure in a tom. Instead I lured in a giant red-tailed hawk. The hawk made a pass at the decoy, swooping down at it with its talons extended. At the last second it pulled out of its dive and landed in a nearby tree. The hawk stared at that decoy for about five minutes before deciding it wasn”t lunch and flying off. That episode made my day.
