Fishermen can expect an improvement in the weather for the long Memorial Day weekend. The air temperature for Clear Lake is forecast to be in the mid-70s and the winds will be light. Hopefully the water temperature will be in the high 60s and the bass will move back into the shallows and on the spawning beds. So far there have been only a few days when bass could be seen either on the spawning beds or cruising nearby.
Overall the bass fishing is rated from fair to good and both the north and south ends of the lake producing fair numbers of fish. One of the better areas has been near the state park. Most of the fishermen are catching from five to eight fish per day and the size has been ranging from 2 pounds to more than 5 pounds. Very few bass in the 8-pound range are being caught. Senkos and drop-shotting a plastic worm back into the tules are producing most of the fish.
American Bass held a team tournament on Sunday and it took 22 pounds to win. The big fish of the tournament weighed only 6.18 pounds. The average weight per fish was 3.25 pounds and out of 32 teams, 24 weighed in a five-fish limit.
The good news is there are no major bass tournaments scheduled on the lake for the long weekend. However, there are several smaller club tournaments.
Crappie action still remains an iffy situation. There are some areas in the south end of the lake that have been producing a few fish but overall the action has been very slow. Catfish action has been good for the few anglers out after them. The best action has been in Cache Creek and Horseshoe Bend. A few catfish are also being caught off the pier at Redbud Park
Lake Pillsbury typically draws a large crowd for the Memorial Day weekend but that may not happen this year. The lake is still on the Department of Fish and Game”s (DFG) no-stocking list and the only action will be for bass and bluegill.
The best bass fishing has been back in the coves with spinnerbaits, Senkos or plastic worms being the top lures. The county road out of Potter Valley has recently been graded and is in good shape for the holiday weekend.
At Indian Valley Res-ervoir, the only action has been for bass, which has been very good. The best action has been off the rocks near the dam.
Upper Blue Lake is also a good bet for the weekend. Most of the action has been for trollers working the middle of the lake with Kastmasters or Cripplures. The lake was stocked last week.
Another good choice for the trout fisherman is the East Branch of the Russian River. The stream was stocked last week and there should be enough carryover fish to provide decent action this weekend.
Trout, salmon and bass are on tap at Lake Berryessa. The only downside will be the crowds. This lake goes nuts on the Memorial Day weekend.
Lake Sonoma has been providing some excellent bass fishing. The bass are up shallow and Senkos or plastic worms have been dynamite on bass to 5 pounds. There also have been reports that bass fishing has been good at Lake Mendocino. This is for largemouth and smallmouth bass. There have been no reports on the striped bass.
If you want to get away from the crowds and catch trout and small bass, then Letts Lake, located in the Mendocino National Forest, fits the bill.
This small lake of 35 acres sits at 4,500 feet elevation and offers beauty, solitude and good fishing. Only small boats or rafts with no motors are allowed, plus there is good access for shore fishing, including wheelchair access.
The lake was scheduled to be stocked by the DFG with trout this week and there is also a good population of largemouth bass. There is no size limit on the bass but there is a daily limit of five fish. Most of the bass weigh less than a pound but they are scrappy fighters.
The U.S. Forest Service operates two campgrounds at the lake but they are rarely full. The road going into the lake is well-maintained and can handle travel trailers up to 19 feet in length.
The easiest way to reach the lake is to take I-5 north to Maxwell and turn west to Stonyford. From Stonyford take U.S. Forest Service Road M-10 to Forest Service Road 17N02, which takes you to the lake. The lake is approximately 15 miles west of Stonyford.
Ocean salmon fishing continues to be very slow off Fort Bragg. The major problem has been the high winds and rough seas, which have prevented most of the boats from fishing.
