Best Bass Tournament (BBT) is holding a team tournament on Saturday out of Konocti Vista Casino in Lakeport with the weigh-in starting at noon.
It took 29 pounds to win last weekend’s BBT tournament out of Redbud Park in Clearlake. The winning team also brought the tournament’s big fish, 11.33 pounds, to the scales. Most of the anglers stayed south.
Even though a few fishermen are having success in the north end, the best action has been south of the Narrows. The bass are holding in the deeper water while the water color in the north end is a chocolate brown. Areas such as Rattlesnake Island and the deep-water docks along the Windflower Point shoreline are providing decent action for fishermen casting jigs or a Senko and allowing it to sink to the bottom. Most of the fishermen report catching their bass in 18-25 feet of water. The area from Lakeside County Park to the State Park is also producing decent numbers of bass. Henderson Point and Horseshoe Bend are worth a try, too.
Most experienced bass fishermen will tell you that if they could only fish with one lure it would be the jig. Day in and day out it is by far the most productive lure in the tackle box. It is also one of the easiest lures to fish. At Clear Lake, the most popular color is either dark blue or black or a combination of the two colors. The most popular size is 3/8 ounce. You have to attach a trailer to the jig and one of the best is the Paca Chunk Sr. made by NetBait.
The best part of using a jig is that it is weedless, which means you can use one in just about any location. Most fishermen cast the jig to the edges of the weed beds and retrieve it by lifting the tip of their rod up slightly. They then lower it and make a turn or two on the reel. This makes the jig hop along the bottom, which resembles a live crawdad swimming. The crawdad is one of the favorite foods for bass.
When a bass grabs a jig it often inhales the lure. In fact, there is no mistaking a strike as you definitely feel it. All of the local tackle shops sell jigs and they only cost about $5 each.
In areas where there are weed mats the conditions are perfect for frog fishing but there have been very few bass caught on frogs and even fewer off the weed mats. One reason could be the lack of smaller bait fish holding beneath the mats. Normally the silverside minnows school beneath the mats and the smaller bass prey on them, which in turn draws the larger bass to prey on the smaller bass. Typically you see explosions as the adult bass chase the smaller fish.
The water temperature has been as high as 85 degrees by the late afternoon, which is ideal for the weed mat style of fishing. Unfortunately the bass just aren’t there. That could change if the silverside minnows or threadfin shad show up in any numbers.
Catfish action remains solid for the few fishermen out after them. One of the hottest baits is a nightcrawler rigged on a drop-shot. Shag Rock, Henderson Point, the State Park and the Nice-Lucerne shoreline all are producing some large catfish, some up to 20 pounds.
Crappie and bluegill action is fair with mostly small fish. A few crappie in the 2-pound class are being caught at Kono Tayee. The docks at Library Park are also giving up a few large bluegill.
Trout action is rated from poor to fair in the East Branch of the Russian River and at Upper Blue Lake. Both areas were scheduled to be stocked this week.
The north ramp at Lake Mendocino is now closed because of low water and the south ramp is expected to be closed within two weeks.
