Bass action on Clear Lake has come to a virtual standstill. Even the local fishing guides have been struggling and they mostly use live jumbo minnows during the winter months. Those using minnows said the bass are barely mouthing the minnows and you have to be patient to catch the fish.
Local fishing guide Bob Myskey said he has never seen the bass fishing this tough. He said that he guided two different groups of fishermen this week and they didn’t catch a single bass. They did manage to catch some nice catfish. Myskey said he believes the reason the fishing is so slow is because of the abundance of baitfish. According to Myskey, the fish they are catching are fat with a large bellies.
When using live minnows many fishermen rig their minnows drop-shot style with one difference; they attach a 4-inch length of line with a hook above the sinker. This allows the minnow to have more action and it often swims in a small circle. Most of the guides either use a bobber or allow the minnow to swim freely with only a small split shot weight to keep the minnow down, however, fishermen believe the drop-shot method allows you to better control the minnow.
A few fishermen are catching bass in the deeper water in the south end of the lake by casting deep-diving crankbaits. Bass are also being caught on large swimbaits such as the Osprey or Huddleston. When using swimbaits patience is the key to success. Plan on making dozens of casts for a single bite. The good news is the larger bass are being caught on the swimbaits. There have been a few fishermen having success casting the “A” Rig but very few fishermen are using this rig.
Most of the action has been in the deeper water in either the Clearlake Oaks arm or the Redbud arm. The rockpiles at Rattlesnake Island are giving up a few bass. The Jago Bay area is also producing a few fish. In the north end, a few bass are being caught at Rocky Point and along the Nice-Lucerne shoreline. LV-500 lipless crankbaits have been the most successful lure in these areas.
The first major bass tournament of the year takes place Sunday when American Bass holds a team tournament. The tournament goes out of Konocti Vista Casino and the weigh-in starts at 3 p.m. The Clear Lake Bassmasters will hold a club tournament Saturday out of Lakeside County Park. The weigh-in starts at 3 p.m.
The 28th annual Clear Lake Team Bass Tournament is scheduled for Feb. 28-March 1. Early sign-ups open at 9 a.m. on Jan. 16 at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce office, located at 875 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport. The blast-off on the first day of the tournament will be in the order the fishermen sign-up on Jan. 16. Anyone can represent the team at the walk-in registration as long the entry form is completed and signed by both members of the team. The entry fee is $200 per team and includes the big-fish option. The tournament features a 100-percent payback of all the entry fees. For more information call 263-5092.
Catfish action remains good in the deeper waters. Henderson Point and Shag Rock continue to be good bets. Live minnows, nightcrawlers or cut bait all have been effective on catfish ranging from 8-15 pounds. A few crappie are also being caught but very few fishermen have been targeting the crappie.
Trout action has slowed to a crawl at Upper Blue Lake. For some reason the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) hasn’t stocked the lake in more than a month
Fishermen should have their 2015 fishing license by now. The fine for not having one can be up to $200 if you’re cited. There is also still some confusion on the quagga mussel stickers. The tackle shops report they are still having to convince many boaters that they need both state and county stickers. The county mussel sticker is good for a year for residents and 30 days for nonresidents and costs $10. To qualify for a resident sticker the address on the boat registration form must list Lake County as the location where the boat is kept.
