After weeks of just terrible bass fishing, which gave Clear Lake a bad name and caused many fishermen to abandon the lake, the rising lake level and warm temperatures caused the bass bite to explode last weekend for the bass anglers.
The results of the American Bass Association (ABA) team tournament held Sunday nearly broke the lake record for average weight per fish in a major tournament on Clear Lake. The tournament drew 55 boats and a total of 229 bass were weighed in for an incredible average weight of 4.6 pounds per fish. The current lake record of 5.2 pounds per fish was set in 2013. The tournament produced 21 bass weighing more than 7 pounds each. The big fish of the tournament weighed 10.84 pounds.
Winners Kyle and Kelly Maughs of Shasta City weighed in a five-fish limit of 35.82 pounds. A number of anglers said they caught more than 25 fish during the tournament and a couple of teams reported catching up to 40 bass. Few lakes in the country can match Clear Lake when it comes to producing large bass.
The reason for the complete turnaround in the bass bite is because the lake level has risen more than 2 feet from the recent storms. In addition, spring-like weather makes for ideal fishing conditions.
The excellent bass fishing should attract needed fishermen into the county. This has been one of the slowest winters in years in regard to fishermen and boaters visiting Clear Lake. The local tackle shops have been struggling to stay open with very few customers.
Another problem has been a lack of bass tournaments. To date, the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) has issued only 26 event-type tournament permits for the remainder of 2015. Normally the DFW issues more than 50 tournament permits annually for Clear Lake. The next bass tournament on the lake is the Clear Lake Team Bass Tournament, which is scheduled for Feb. 28-March 1. Thirty-three teams have signed up for the tournament so far. The tournament normally draws from 115 to 130 boats, which makes it one of the largest bass tournaments held on Clear Lake.
Studies have shown that an out-of-county tournament bass fisherman typically spends approximately $250 a day in the county. This includes motel costs, meals, gasoline and fishing tackle. When the fishing is poor, many of the fishermen won’t compete in the tournaments. However, when the fishing is good they will sign up. The recent surge in action should bring more fishermen into the county.
The county also has to get the word out on the improved conditions on the lake. The spring months are perfect for fishing and boating. The algae hasn’t yet bloomed and there is an abundance of bird life, not to mention the great fishing. Lake County and Clear Lake have a lot to offer the tourist, but we have to publicize it. A good example is Mount Konocti. The warm spring days are ideal for hiking up the mountain.
The rising lake level also has resulted in water flowing in the streams that empty into the lake, which should improve conditions for the hitch to spawn. According to Victoria Brandon of the Chi Council, Sacramento suckers were spotted in Adobe, Alley and Kelsey creeks this past week. The suckers normally proceed the hitch in making runs up the creeks. Hitch will spawn from late February until May and the past two years there have been very few hitch spawning in the primary streams because of the lack of water. Hopefully this year the increased flows will change all that. Brandon is asking that people keep an eye on the streams and report any hitch they see. A reporting form can be downloaded from http://www.lakelive.info/council.
