A number of fishermen have been expressing disappointment with the bass fishing at Clear Lake. They claim they are catching too few fish and the ones they are catching are small, often weighing less than 3 pounds. Many fishermen are wondering if Clear Lake is in a downward cycle such as back in 1990.
Most of the local fishing guides are also saying their clients are catching fewer bass. Whereas two years ago an average day would produce 15-25 fish for their clients, this year a good day is when their clients catch 10 fish.
Clear Lake has always experienced wide swings in its fish populations and that applies not only to bass, but also crappie, catfish and even bluegill. This year I have noticed fewer crappie and practically no bluegill as well as fewer bass. The baitfish numbers are also down considerably. For example, the threadfin shad, a primary baitfish, are just about non-existent. The adult bass I have caught are also a lot skinnier than in past years.
In fact, this year is reminiscent of 1988 when the bass fishing started to collapse. By 1990, the bass fishing was so bad that many tournament organizations considered moving their tournaments from Clear Lake.
What is troubling is the lack of juvenile bass. By juvenile I mean bass two and three years old. These would be the fish that were spawned in 2007-08 and should be from 4-10 inches long. During most years these juvenile fish would drive anglers crazy with their aggressiveness. They would bite nonstop at small plastic worms.
Recently I did a little experiment. I took some nightcrawlers and rigged them drop-shot style on a small hook in hopes of catching some of these juvenile bass. I fished for several hours in a dozen locations and only caught one small fish of 10 inches.
It”s not only the lack of juvenile fish. There also have been few bass caught weighing in excess of 8 pounds. Bass tournaments normally produce several fish in the 8-pound-plus class, but not this year. In most of the recent tournaments only one or two fish exceeded 8 pounds. Only two years ago most of the tournaments produce several fish in the 8-pound-plus range.
A number of fishermen predicted last year that the lake”s bass fishery was in a downward trend. For example, the Department of Fish and Game”s (DFG) electroshocking studies last year showed very few juvenile bass. In addition, seine netting by Vector Control showed that the plankton counts were also down. Plankton is vital for bass minnows during the first few weeks of their lives.
Whereas the absence of juvenile bass has been common down through the years at Clear Lake, what is disturbing is the lack of big bass. Clear Lake is famous for the number of double-digit bass it produces, but not this year. Ten-pounders have been exceedingly rare. In fact, a 6-pounder is considered to be a trophy fish.
A number of fishermen say the big bass are still swimming in the lake but are now located far offshore in the weed beds. That may be true, but you would think that fisherman would find them sooner or later.
Another theory going around is that many of the larger bass have just lived out their lives and died or that many could have starved because of the lack of baitfish. There is even a theory going around that the reason there are few juvenile bass is because the larger bass have eaten them.
Part of the problem could also be a lower-than-normal lake level and an excess of aquatic weeds. Biologists will tell you that when weed cover is extremely thick the adult bass have a harder time locating their prey and won”t get enough to eat. That can result in weaker bass, which in turns makes them vulnerable to diseases.
Whatever the reason, Clear Lake is once again undergoing dramatic changes. One year there will be a low lake level, massive algae mats and miles of weeds. In other years the lake will be high and clear. It”s all part of the ecosystem of a lake that”s at least two million years old.
