Cool weather continues to stymie bass fishermen at Clear Lake. This past week has seen daytime temperatures ranging from as low as 30 degrees in the morning to only 55 degrees by late afternoon. The result is that the bass are as confused as the fishermen. Normally by this time of the year bass are in the shallows preparing to spawn, but not this year. There have been reports of bass being seen on the beds in the Clearlake Oaks Keys. In other areas fishermen report catching a few bass at depths ranging from 3-8 feet.
Kent Brown, the host of a Saturday morning bass fishing radio show out of Sacramento, visited the lake on Monday and Tuesday and reported doing very well using the Alabama Rig. He said he caught more than 30 bass on Monday and more than 20 on Tuesday using nothing but the rig. Jarrett Edwards of Arizona also was at the lake filming a television show. He was accompanied by local anger Mark Crutcher of Lakeport. Edwards said Clear Lake is one of his favorite lakes and he tries to come here at least a couple of times a year. They caught several 5-pound-plus fish and had good results for his TV show.
In addition to the Alabama Rig, fishermen are having success casting jigs back into the flooded tules. Drop-shotting a plastic worm also has been successful. One problem is the water clarity in many areas is poor. For example, Rodman Slough is muddy and the same applies to other creeks such as McGraw, Adobe Creek and the State Park.
Guide Bob Myskey keeps an accurate account of all the bass his clients catch on Clear Lake. During 2011 he made 148 guided trips. His clients caught a total 1,374 bass, most on live minnows. He averaged 9.28 bass per trip. Of those fish, 569 weighed from 1-3 pounds, 507 weighed just more than 3 pounds, 164 weighed in the 4-pound class, 90 in the 5-pound, class, 35 in the 6-pound, class, two in the 7-pound class and seven in the 8-pound class. He didn”t catch any fish weighing more than 8 pounds.
In 2007 Myskey caught a total of 3,473 bass for 183 days fished. Fourteen of those bass weighed more than 8 pounds. Myskey said that 2011 was his worst year in regard to number of fish caught in the past seven years
April is the month when the bass tournaments kick off their seasons on Clear Lake. Angler”s Choice will hold a team tournament on Saturday with a 3 p.m. weigh-at Konocti Vista Casino. Konocti Vista Casino will hold its annual Team Bass Classic on April 14-15.That will be followed by an Angler”s Choice two-day pro/am tournament on April 13-14. A giant FLW Outdoors three-day tournament is scheduled for April 26-28.
There is still very little catfish action to report. A few catfish are being caught at Shag Rock and in Horseshow Bend. One fisherman also reported catching two catfish off the docks at Redbud Park in Clearlake. A fisherman also reported catching four large crappie off his dock in Lucerne.
The ocean salmon season opens Saturday at Fort Bragg and all indications point to an excellent season this year. Trout action should also be good for the weekend. Upper Blue Lake was scheduled to be stocked this week. The fishing pressure has been light the past few weeks. The annual trout derby is scheduled for April 28-29. Lake Pillsbury was also scheduled to be stocked with trout this week. The lake is 80-percent full, so the stocking should take place.
As expected, the unsettled weather played havoc with the turkey hunters for their opening weekend. I heard of only four turkeys being taken locally. Hunters who visited the Mendocino National Forest reported snow in many areas, which made hunting nearly impossible. Most of the hunters said the toms are still bunched up and not chasing the hens. Local expert turkey hunter Ron Sneed of Lakeport hunted a private ranch Saturday and Sunday. He reported seeing plenty of birds but they wouldn”t respond to a call. The should all change by this weekend and the hunting should improve.
