The fishing report for Clear Lake is starting to sound like a broken record ? “Use jumbo minnows if you want to be successful.”
A good example were the results obtained by fishing guide Ross England on Monday. He and his client caught a total of 55 bass and all were caught on jumbo minnows. Their catch included a pair of 6-pound-plus bass and a bunch of 3- and 4-pounders. England said they switched to artificial lures but didn”t have any success.
Overall the bass fishing has been holding steady, with most of the fishermen catching from five to 15 fish per day. Next to live minnows, crankbaits have been have been the top lure and they should be worked super slow and retrieved over the rockpiles. Several fishermen report success using shaky head jigs. The deeper water in the south end of the lake has been the most productive area although bass are also being caught in shallow water in the north end.
If crankbaits don”t work, then go to the old standard ? drop-shotting a plastic worm. This style of fishing is so easy that even a child can master it. All you do is attach a size 2 hook about 12 inches up the line and then attach a small sinker on the bottom. The plastic worm is rigged weedless on the hook and the entire rig is cast to the outer edges of the docks or rockpiles and allowed to sink to the bottom. Shake the tip of your rod and turn the reel handle one or two turns. Do this all the way back to the boat. When a fish grabs the worm all you will feel is a slight pull.
The water temperatures have been as low as 47 degrees in the mornings and rising to 53 degrees by late afternoon. Most of the fishermen report the fishing hits its peak at about 3 p.m.
No bass tournaments are scheduled for the weekend. The next round of tournaments gets under way in December with an Anglers Choice team event scheduled for Dec. 5 and a WON BASS team tournament on Dec. 12. Several fishermen want to know when the Holder Ford-Mercury team tournament is taking place. The two-day tournament is March 15-16.
Catfish action remains very good and most of the fishermen are catching four to six per outing. The catfish are ranging in size from 3-15 pounds. The docks at the Indian Beach Resort in Glenhaven continue to be one of the hot spots. Rattlesnake Island also has been producing decent catfish action. The more successful fishermen have been fishing at night. Jumbo minnows as well as cut bait have the most effective baits.
Upper Blue Lake has been kicking out a few trout for both trollers and bank fishermen. The trollers are using either a Needlefish or a Kastmaster and are trolling near the surface. Bass action has been slow. There has been practically no fishing pressure.
If you have a small boat, then a trip to Indian Valley Reservoir is worth the drive. The lake is producing some excellent smallmouth bass fishing. The best action for the smallmouth bass is along the rip rap at the dam. The ramp at the dam is out of the water and only small boats can be launched. This would be an ideal lake for a float tube as you can launch the tube within a few yards of the dam.
Duck hunters are still waiting for some northern birds to arrive. Most of the refuges in the Sacramento Valley have been averaging less than two birds per hunter. The duck hunting on Clear Lake has been very poor. Starting on Tuesday the motorized spinning wing decoys can be used and that should improve the hunting.
The spinning wing decoy is a standard decoy that has wings powered by a small electric motor. The spinning wing decoy mimics a duck that is hovering above a set of decoys and is very effective at attracting ducks from a distance.
The fall wild turkey season closes Sunday. Overall the season was rated a success, with many of the hunters bagging a wild turkey.
