The cool nights have caused some of the aquatic weeds on Clear Lake to die and sink to the bottom. The algae is also starting to disappear in a few sections of the lake. All this is good news for the bass fishermen. The other good news is there are millions of silverside minnows and juvenile bass scattered throughout the lake.
There has been some topwater action in the evenings and early mornings in the Lakeport area. Skitter Pops and Sammies have been the top lures and should be working tight to the weed mats. Plastic frogs also have been effective when cast in the shallow water. One fisherman reported doing very well on plastic frogs cast in less than a foot of water near the State Park. As expected, Senkos continue to be the top lure on the lake. The trick to success is to cover as much water as possible and that applies to both ends of the lake. The best news is the bass are in excellent conditions. In fact, they resemble footballs.
The lake level continues to drop as Yolo County draws water for irrigation. Because the lake was full on May 1, Yolo County received its full allotment of water, which means Yolo can take water until Oct. 1 or until the lake level drops to 1 foot on the Rumsey Gauge.
The Seventh Annual Bob”s Marine bass tournament is scheduled for Sept. 11-12. The tournament will operate out of Konocti Vista Casino, Resort and Marina. The entry fee is $150 per team, plus options. Fishermen can sign up as late as 5 p.m. on Sept. 10. Twenty-eight teams had entered as of Monday. The tournament drew 109 teams last year. All the fishermen must be in a Champion, Stratos or Javelin bass boat.
Catfish action remains very good throughout the north and south ends of the lake. The more successful fishermen have been drifting cut bait in the deeper water. Areas such as Rattlesnake Island, Horseshoe Bend, the State Park and Jago Bay have all been producing good numbers of catfish. Gary Hill of Kelseyville continues to load up on catfish by rigging a live crawdad under a bobber. This allows the crawdad to suspend just above the submerged weeds. He has been fishing just about every evening and catching from five to 15 catfish, some weighing up to 20 pounds. Bank fishermen at Lakeside County Park are also catching catfish.
A number of people have been taking their kids to Highland Springs Reservoir for bluegill and they are all catching plenty of fish although the bluegill are small. All that is needed is a can of red worms, a rod and reel and a bobber.
Fishermen are still waiting for the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to stock Upper Blue Lake and the East Branch of Russian River with trout. For whatever reason, the DFG has taken both bodies of water off their stocking list. As a result, the fishing has been poor at both places.
The cool weather has improved the deer hunting. Several hunters reported seeing more deer earlier this week and even a few bucks in the Mendocino National Forest. The Zone A season runs through Sept. 26 and the best hunting will be during the final week of the season.
Several hunters have told me they are being very cautious while in the woods, especially in the Mendocino National Forest and the Cow Mountain Recreation Area. Two deer hunters were hunting on Cow Mountain near Red Mountain campground were recently threatened by marijuana growers. The hunters were confronted by four armed growers who told them to immediately leave the area and not to return. Hunters are being warned by law enforcement officials that if they come across a marijuana garden to immediately leave the area and report it to the nearest law enforcement agency.
