Crappie are still grabbing most of the attention from fishermen at Clear Lake. The hot spots continue to be the docks at Indian Beach Resort and at Shag Rock. A few crappie are being caught near Lands End near Lakeport. One fisherman caught three crappie off the docks at Library Park in Lakeport on Tuesday. The good news is many of the crappie are ranging is size from a half-pound to nearly 3 pounds.
Most fishermen are using the standard red-white crappie jig and are rigging it several ways. If your are fishing in water deeper than 25 feet you need to add another weight on the jig because the crappie are holding right near the bottom. Retrieve the jig slowly along the bottom and allow the crappie to get the lure in its mouth.
Crappie are a school fish and it’s rare for there to be just a single fish. Often there are several hundred crappie in one school and it can result in nonstop action. The other trick is to go from dock to dock until you locate fish. Whereas the bass action isn’t as good as the crappie action, it is still rated fair and should improve as the lake level rises and the water warms up. Jigs cast to the edges of the weeds and swimbaits all have been effective on bass ranging from a pound all the way up to 8 pounds. Deep-running crankbaits also have been effective and a few fishermen are having very good success casting the “A” Rig.
Most of the action is still confined to the south end of the lake although Henderson Point and Soda Bay are producing some decent action. The point off Lakeside County Park is also giving up a few bass as is Corinthian Bay. The bass action could break wide open this weekend when temperatures are forecast to reach 70 degrees Sunday. The lake level is also slowly rising. As of Thursday morning it stood at 4.5 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. By comparison, a year ago the lake level was .66 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. That means we’re 4 feet higher this year.
There are two bass tournaments scheduled on the lake this weekend. The Clear Lake Bassmasters are holding a club tournament Saturday out of Lakeside County Park and the weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. American Bass is holding a team event Saturday out of Konocti Vista Casino and the weigh-in starts at 3 p.m.
Twenty teams are signed up for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce Team/Konocti Vista Casino Tournament as of Thursday. The tournament is scheduled for March 19-20. The entry fee is $200 per team and includes the big-fish option. The tournament pays back 100 percent of entry fees. All the local tackle shops have entry forms or you can call 263-5092 for more information,
Catfish are still being caught at several locations around the lake. The docks at Clearlake Oaks have been giving up some large catfish. The rockpiles around Rattlesnake Island are also producing catfish. Trout are still being caught in good numbers at Upper Blue Lakes. The good news is some of the trout are 14 inches or even longer. Power Bait worked slowly along the bottom has been the most productive method. The lake is scheduled to be stocked the week of Feb. 14.
A few steelhead are being caught in the Russian River, but overall it’s been very slow. The water is still running high and dirty.
For those who like to take a short hike, Clear Lake State Park is an ideal location. The park is practically empty of visitors right now and there are a number of excellent trails ranging from difficult to easy.
