After a cold and blustery week the weather has finally warmed up and the bass are starting to bite again at Clear Lake. The spawn is still taking place and a lot of fish are being seen in the shallows. Senkos cast beneath the docks and in the tules are accounting for most of the fish.
Local fishing guide Ross England took a pair of clients out earlier this week and they boated 18 bass, including several between 5-7 pounds. England said most of the action came on Senkos in the north end of the lake.
The warm weather and emerging weed mats should start the topwater action. The bass are holding at the edges of the weed beds and a topwater lure such as a Zara Spook or Lucky Craft Sammy cast tight to the weeds beds should produce explosive action.
Without question this is one of the most exciting methods of bass fishing. When a bass explodes on a topwater lure it”s often just a big shower of water and the fisherman usually sets the hook too soon and misses the fish. That”s what makes it so exciting.
One of the more successful topwater lures is the Sammy or Spook. They are basically do-nothing lures resembling a cigar. The lure is retrieved with short jerks, which makes the lure swing back and forth much as an injured minnow. Fishermen call this type of retrieve “Walking the Dog.”
The trick is to either cast it in the open water next to a weed mat or in the shade of a dock. Make several short jerks and then pause. Often a bass will grab the lure during the pause.
Another topwater lure that”s extremely effective is the buzzbait. This lure has either one or two spinner blades that are bent at an angle to make the water churn when it”s retrieved. The lure is cast and retrieved using a constant retrieve, which causes the lure to ride on the surface of the water. Often a curly-tailed grub is added as a trailer.
Actually, just about any type of topwater lure will work throughout the day. The trick is to cast it either to or above the weed beds. Some of the better areas are the docks north of Lakeport and the area around the Konocti Vista Casino and Resort. The docks at Nice and Lucerne should also produce decent numbers of bass.
Shore anglers have been catching bass off the docks at Library Park in Lakeport. Most of the successful fishermen have been drop-shotting a plastic worm or casting a Senko.
Catfish action continues to be excellent. For some reason the catfish have been on a tear and fishermen are having little trouble catching from 10-15 catfish. The best action has been from just before dark until midnight. The better areas are Shag Rock, Horseshoe Bend, Rattlesnake Island and the Clearlake Oaks Keys. Cut mackerel remains the top bait although a few fishermen have been successful using live crawdads.
One fisherman said he put a crawdad trap out near the State Park and caught approximately 15 crawdads within a four-hour period.
A few crappie are being caught at Lakeside County Park and near the Boat Works. The problem is there are very few fishermen targeting crappie.
Trout action remains good in the East Branch of the Russian River. Dave Brabec of Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport has come up with a technique that has resulted in limits in both the river and Upper Blue Lake. He uses a light spinning rod rigged with 4- or 6-pound test line and casts a small crankbait called Bitsy Minnow (the lure is made by Strike King). Brabec said he makes a slow and steady retrieve. Early this week he fished the East Branch of the Russian River and limited out in less than an hour. He said the lure is also very effective in Upper Blue Lake.
The East Branch of the Russian River was stocked last week and will be stocked again in two weeks. Upper Blue Lake will be stocked next week.
