Bass fishermen at Clear Lake have their choice this weekend — thick algae in the south end or miles of weeds in the north end.
Thick algae is plaguing boaters who want to launch at Redbud Park in Clearlake. Some of the algae mats are two inches thick. On Wednesday, Skip Simpkins of the county”s Lakebed Management Department tied up his boat to a dock at the launch ramp and ran his outboard motor for more than an hour in an attempt to aerate the water and break up the thick algae mats. That was a temporary fix to the problem because the mat had formed again within a few hours.
Simpkins said there are several methods of combating the algae. One is to use high-pressure water hoses to break up the mats and the other is to use boats.
Airboats were used to break up the mats earlier in the week. The problem is that the mats start to re-form almost immediately. Several boaters reported that their outboards have become clogged with the algae and the engines have overheated. Boats should also be wiped down immediately after being removed from the lake. Once the algae dries is takes a high-pressure hose to remove it.
The algae slicks are widely scattered throughout the Redbud Arm of the lake and extend all the way to Jago Bay. Algae is also starting to form in the Clearlake Oaks arm but it isn”t a problem yet. That could all change this weekend when 100-plus-degree weather is forecast.
The north end of the lake has seen an explosion of weeds in the Lakeport area as well as along the Nice-Lucerne shoreline. Actually the weeds now extend out into the middle of the lake.
Overall the bass fishing is still nothing to brag about. The fish are still widely scattered and most of the fishermen are happy to put eight to 10 fish in the boat for an entire day spent on the water.
One technique that has been successful is to drop-shot a plastic worm in the openings in the weed mats. The trick is to hit as many holes as possible. Just drop the worm into the holes and give the rod a few shakes. If you don”t get a strike, hit the next hole. Sooner or later you will catch a fish.
Another technique that has been very effective in the weedy areas is to rig a Senko wacky style. That”s where you run the hook through the middle of the worm. Of course, topwater lures also have been very effective when cast to the edges of the weed mats.
For those who plan on fishing the algae waters in the south end, the trick is to locate the cleaner water where the water color is a green ? not the blue-green scum. Crankbaits or jigs have been effective when cast tight to the dock pilings in these areas.
The good news is that I have been seeing large schools of juvenile bluegill in the weeds 100-200 yards offshore in the Lakeport area. Most of the bluegill are only 1 or 2 inches long and are a perfect forage fish for the bass.
In my Wednesday column about algae I said there were no lakeside homes on septic tanks, but as several readers pointed out, that”s not true. There are still a few lakeside residents on septic tanks but most are hooked up to a sewer system. According to Skip Simpkins, there have been no incidences of the existing septic systems leaching into the lake.
June is the time when most of the resident doe deer give birth to fawns, and this year I have seen a number of small fawns on the roads and highways in the county. I have also received several reports of fawns being hit by cars. Earlier this week I saw a pair of very small fawns walking down Martin Street near the Sheriff”s office in Lakeport. I stopped my car and one of the fawns walked within a few feet of me and showed no fear. These little critters don”t know enough to get out of the road and I urge everyone to drive carefully and keep a look out for the deer, especially when driving after dark.
