Cold and windy weather didn”t slow the bass fishing at Clear Lake last weekend as a pair of tournaments produced some huge bass.
Angler”s Choice held a tournament on Saturday and it took 30.75 pounds to win it and more than 29 pounds just to get a check. The overall average weight per fish was hefty 4.92 pounds. On Sunday, American Bass held a team tournament and the winners were George and Kevin Cockriell of Kelseyville with 32.93 pounds. It took more than 28 pounds to get a check. The big fish of the tournament weighed 10.3 pounds and the average weight per fish was 4.76 pounds. Additionally, there were nine bass caught that weighed more than 7 pounds each.
No other lake in the state, or the nation, is capable of producing as many quality bass a Clear Lake.
The Cockriells said they caught all their bass using the Alabama Rig equipped with small swimbaits. They caught a total of 21 bass during the tournament and most of them came from the north end of the lake.
There is no question that casting an Alabama Rig is the top method of catching bass at Clear Lake right now. Of course, first you have to locate the fish and that often takes some time. In other words, there are a lot of areas around the lake that are holding few or no fish. Once you locate a school of bass the action is often nonstop.
No one knows how long the Alabama Rig will continue to catch fish. Bass are known for getting wise to a particular lure and then refuse to bite. The rig has been so effective that Bassmasters recently banned it from its tournaments and other tournament organizations may also ban it. The rig sells for $15-$25 and that doesn”t include the lures that are attached to it. The cost for a fully rigged Alabama Rig is about $45-$50.
WON BASS will hold a team tournament Saturday. The tournament operates out of Konocti Vista Casino and the weigh-in starts at 3 p.m.
Catfish action remains steady but it”s nothing exciting. Most of the catfishermen are catching three to five fish per outing. The top bait has been cut mackerel or nightcrawlers. The fishing should improve as the coming storms wash dirty water into the lake.
According to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) website, Indian Valley Reservoir is scheduled to be stocked with trout this week. If that”s true, it will be the first trout stocking there in at least two years. The lake is in perfect condition for the trout. The lake level is high and the water color is excellent. The gravel road going into the lake is in good shape but that could change with the coming storms.
Trout action is still rated fair at Upper Blue Lake. Both trollers and bank fishermen have been scoring on decent-sized fish. Several fishermen are reporting that the trout are biting softly and you will get several bites before you hook up with a fish.
Duck hunters head into their final week of the season, which closes Jan. 29. The final week should see an improvement in the hunting. To date the success rate has been ranging from poor to fair and no one seems to know why. Local hunters say that with the exception of this past week, the duck hunting on Clear Lake has been the poorest in many years. The forecast prior to the season opener was that the hunting would be excellent this year but that hasn”t been the case.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will host free guided hikes to look for wintering bald eagles in the Cache Creek Natural Area in Lake County on Saturdays in January and February. Hikes are scheduled for this Saturday and again on Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18 and Feb. 25. Hikes will be canceled by rainy weather. Those interested in participating should reserve space for a specific date by calling the BLM Ukiah Field Office at 468-4000. Early reservations are requested for the popular hikes, which are limited to 25 participants each, and they fill quickly.
Participants will meet at the Redbud Trailhead parking area, eight miles east of Clearlake Oaks on Highway 20 at 10 a.m. The trailhead is just west of the North Fork Cache Creek Bridge.
The 4-mile hikes last three to four hours. The trail includes a steep 600-foot climb in the first mile, so hikers should be in good physical condition. Hikers should wear sturdy hiking boots suitable for wet conditions and dress for cold weather. They should carry water, a lunch and binoculars as most eagle sightings are at a distance. Call 468-4000 for more information.
