The recent front page article in the Record-Bee about bass fishermen not complying with the county”s quagga mussel boat inspections has rocked the local boating scene. It appears there was very good compliance with the ordinance last year, but since it has gone to a monthly inspection system for out-of-county boats fewer are now getting inspected.
Ed Clarke of Tackle It in Lakeport said he issued only nine bands prior to the West Coast Bass tournament. Other inspection stations around the county reported similar results.
One of the problems is that many boaters don”t fully understand the ordinance. Lake County residents who keep their vessels in the county only need to get a sticker one time. That sticker is valid indefinitely. Out-of-county boaters are required to have their boat either screened or inspected monthly and will be issued a new color-coded band each month. That band is to be placed on the front one-third of the boat in a visible location. They will also be issued a second band that will go on the rear of the boat trailer.
For those Lake County residents who received a sticker two years ago, they can get a second sticker for their boat and another one for their trailer. The stickers are free and can be obtained from any of the local businesses that issue stickers, the Lakeport Chamber of Commerce or the county”s Water Resources office.
With all the publicity on the lack of compliance by boaters it”s almost a given that the Lake County Sheriff”s Boat Patrol and the Department of Fish and Game wardens will be closely monitoring boats that are on the lake and participating in the bass tournaments. The tournaments shouldn”t be a problem. All the tournament directors need to do is require that all boats in the tournament have a current sticker or band and those not in compliance won”t be allowed to participate in the tournament. All the tournament directors that I have spoken with say they will be more than happy to require their fishermen to comply with the ordinance.
There has been a rumor going around that Clearlake Outdoors in Lakeport has been selling the stickers for $15 and not inspecting the boats.
“Not true,” says Troy Bellah from the tackle shop. He said Clearlake Outdoors is charging $10 just like everyone else and is doing the required walk-around inspection of all the boats. The tackle shop is located at 96 Soda Bay Road and business hours are Monday through Saturday 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
On the fishing scene, the lake level is now above 6 feet on the Rumsey Gauge and it”s still rising. The bass fishing is rated good as the results from the West Coast Bass tournament held over the weekend show. The winner on the pro side was Russ Meyer of Redding with a two-day weight total of 56.55 pounds. He took home a Harley custom motorcycle and $1,675 in cash. Wayne Breazeale of Kelseyville took second place with 47.6 pounds and won $3,200. The tournament drew 58 boats.
Swimbaits and jigs were the top lures in the tournament and both the north and south ends of the lake were producing good numbers of fish. Many of the more successful fishermen have been working the tules from the state park to Lakeport. The water temperature has been ranging from as low as 48 degrees to as high as 54 degrees.
There will be three bass tournaments on the lake starting today with the California State Bass Championship that”s going out of Redbud Park in Clearlake. On Saturday and Sunday, American Bass will be holding team tournaments. Saturday”s tournament will go out of the Skylark Shores Motel in Lakeport and Sunday”s event will operate out of the Konocti Vista Casino, Resort and Marina. The weigh-ins for all the tournaments will start at approximately 3 p.m.
In addition to the three bass tournaments a number of fishermen will be prefishing for the upcoming Holder Ford-Mercury tournament that”s scheduled for March 13-14. More than 60 teams have already entered the tournament and it”s expected to draw at least 120 teams.
No local waters were stocked with trout this week. At Upper Blue Lake the trout fishing has been fair. Boats can now be launched at Indian Valley Reservoir but the lake is muddy and the road into the lake is in poor shape.
