If you looked at the results of the Angler”s Choice team tournament held on Sunday, you wouldn”t think it was wintertime with cold water temperatures at Clear Lake.
The tournament drew 17 boats and 15 weighed in limits. Matt Saavedra of Oakley and Charlie Almassey of Redding teamed up for the win with an incredible weight of 32.32 pounds. Their heavy weight included the big fish of the tourney, a 9.14-pounder. They said they caught all their bass on the new and popular Alabama Rig with swimbaits.
The average overall weight per fish in the tournament was an unbelievable 4.6 pounds and it took 26 pounds to get a check.
Many of the fishermen in the tournament used the new lure setup called an “Alabama Rig.” It”s the latest fishing fad sweeping the country. It is a specially designed wire harness that allows the angler to attach three lures to it. The lures are spread out in a fan shape. It has been winning tournaments in the Eastern part of the country and is just now spreading to the West. In fact, it has become so popular that many of the fishing tackle suppliers are having a hard time keeping them in stock. The rig sells for about $25 and that doesn”t include the lures that are attached.
On the fishing scene, the bass fishing remains steady, but they are still tightly schooled and the successful fishermen are constantly on the move looking for fish. Jumbo minnows remain the top bait for bass followed by lipless crankbaits and swimbaits. The water temperatures have been holding at about 44 degrees in the mornings and rising to 48-50 degrees by late afternoon. The best action has been in the south end of the lake near Rattlesnake Island, Monitor Island, Konocti Bay and Shag Rock. In the north end, a few bass are being caught along the docks at Nice and Lucerne. A few bass are also being caught near the state park. Lakeside County Park is producing a few bass as well as Rocky Point near Lakeport. The fishing pressure is very low as there are no bass tournaments scheduled for the next two weeks.
Catfish action has slowed considerably and most of the catfishermen are happy to catch two or three fish per outing. The more successful anglers are drifting jumbo minnows near Shag Rock and Henderson Point. A few catfish are also being caught off the rock piles at Rattlesnake Island. The docks at Library Park in Lakeport, Lakeside County Park and Redbud Park in Clearlake have been pretty much dead.
Every year during the Christmas season Ed Clarke, owner of Tackle It tackle shop in Lakeport, gives away packets of plastic worms to students, senior citizens, those on fixed incomes and the unemployed. The worms make great stocking stuffers. Clarke will be giving away the plastic worms through New Year”s Day. Tackle It is located at 1050 N. Main St., Lakeport.
No local waters were stocked with trout this week. The fishing pressure at Upper Blue Lake has been nil. A few fishermen have been catching holdover trout by trolling in the middle of the lake. It has been very cold in the mornings and that could explain the lack of fishermen.
With Christmas only nine days away some good last-minutes gifts can be purchased at the local tackle shops. By far one of the best gifts is a 2012 fishing license. It can be purchased at any license agent. All you do is supply the person”s name. You can also go to the Department of Fish and Game website at www.dfg.gov/ and order it online. A 2012 fishing license costs $44.85. You will need a valid credit card as well as the person”s driver license number. If you don”t have the driver”s license number you will be issued a certificate that”s good for the license.
Tackle It and Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport, Clearlake Bait and Tackle and Lakeshore Bait and Tackle in Clearlake as well as Limit Out Bait and Tackle in Clearlake Oaks carry an excellent array of fishing tackle and the clerks are experienced fishermen, They can offer advice on what type of lures and other fishing tackle is currently hot on the lake. The tackle shops also sell gift certificates, which will allow the recipient a chance to pick out his/her own tackle.
