Bass fishermen should see a big improvement in their fishing this weekend. Several fishermen who were out on the lake this week reported seeing a number of bass on the spawning beds. Most were the smaller males, but there were some larger females as well. The water temperature has been as high as 68 degrees by late afternoon. There also are reports of silverside minnows being seen but no threadfin shad. Many fishermen are wondering what the adult bass are eating. The answer is crawdads, hitch and carp minnows.
Most of the more successful bass fishermen have been sight fishing, which is probably the most popular and most productive method of fishing during the spring months. Clear Lake is a sight fisherman”s dream because it”s so shallow you can normally see the bass on the spawning beds. Most fishermen wear polarized sun glasses, which allows them to see the fish. Fishermen will slowly cruise the shoreline using their electric trolling motors and look for small pockets in the tules. Bass spawning beds can be identified by a small opening about the size of a dinner plate. When a fisherman spots the bed he will look closely to see if a bass is on it. Normally it”s the male guarding the nest.
A favorite lure for bed fishing is either a white or chartreuse tube bait or curly-tailed grub rigged on a dart head hook. The reason for the bright colors is you can see the lure even if the water is slightly cloudy. The fisherman will then cast the lure right on the bed and allow it to sit there. The male bass will usually approach the lure, stare at it for a few moments and then pick up it to remove it from the nest. When the fisherman sees the lure disappear from view he sets the hook.
Another technique is to tease the fish into striking the lure. The fisherman will make cast after cast and drag the lure past the nose of the bass. Sometimes it may take 15 minutes to an hour to anger the bass enough for it to strike the lure.
Usually the larger bass are the females and they will often stage near the nest. The technique used to catch these larger bass is to stay back and cast a lure to the suspended fish. Often it will take repeated casts to entice the fish into biting. Some of the better sight fishing areas are north of Lakeport, the State Park, Jago and Konocti bays and the Clearlake Oaks Keys.
The Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven annual catfish derby starts May 18 and fishermen are already out looking for catfish. The derby is expected to draw more than 400 fishermen. The good news is the action has improved. If the water temperature goes up to 70 degrees or higher, the fishing should be excellent for the derby.
A few crappie are starting to show up. One angler reported catching a couple of crappie per outing while fishing from the docks at Library Park in Lakeport. Crappie are also being caught off several private docks in the Nice-Lucerne area and at Glenhaven. The Clearlake Oaks Keys is another area that has been producing crappie. There have been no reports of bluegill yet.
Trout are being caught at Lake Pillsbury. The lake is in perfect condition and the ramps are open. The East Branch of the Russian River is also giving up a few trout. The stream will be stocked next week. The action at Upper Blue Lake has slowed a little although trollers are picking up a few trout.
The Wasson Memorial Veterinary Hospital in Lakeport serves as a bird rescue center and this week their latest patient was an adult bald eagle. The eagle was part of a pair that struck a power line near Nice. One of the eagles was killed and the other received leg injuries.
After being treated the eagle was transferred to the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue Center for rehabilitation.
Even though there has been no verified sightings of Bigfoot, he can be hunted in Texas. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), it”s perfectly legal to kill Bigfoot (Sasquatch) in The Lone Star State. Any “non-protected, nongame animal may be hunted on private property with landowner consent by any means, at any time and there is no bag limit or possession limit,” says L. David Sinclair, TPWD Law Enforcement.
