March is the magic month for bass fishermen at Clear Lake. After months of cold and wet weather, it’s time to break out the fishing tackle, clean up the boat and go fishing. I call it fishing’s version of “March Madness.”
There are two major bass tournaments scheduled on Clear Lake this month and dozens of recreational fishermen have been visiting the lake. The Lake County Chamber of Commerce/Konocti Vista Team Tournament takes place March 19-20 and its expected to draw at least 100 teams. That tournament is followed by the WON BASS Pro/Am on March 23.
March is an excellent month for fishing because the water temperature is on the rise and the fish become more active. Flipping a jig or Brush Hog tight to the flooded trees will usually result in a strike. Chartreuse spinnerbaits or crankbaits also are effective in March. As the water clears, the big plastic swim baits will become popular. In other words, the start of spring means the big bass are on the move.
This is also the month when the bass start to stage prior to spawning. The smaller males move into the shallows first followed by the larger females. The main spawning takes place during April and May when the water temperature reaches 60 degrees .
The bass fishing on Clear Lake this year should be nothing short of phenomenal. If indications from this winter are any gauge, then Clear Lake should be the hot spot in the state for bass action. Fishermen report catching from 20-40 bass per day for the last month. Most of the fishermen say they have never seen so many bass. I know of no other winter when the daily catches for bass averaged 15-40 fish.
The bass are also in excellent condition and one reason could be the El Nino-fueled mild winter. This mild weather allows the bass to feed and put on weight during the colder months. Under normal conditions, bass gain very little weight during the winter.
The other reason for the phenomenal fishing conditions is the abundance of food, which means the lake, biologically speaking, is in excellent condition. Threadfin shad have taken over the lake and all a bass has to do is open its mouth. There are thousands of juvenile crappie, bluegills and other bait fish as well and the crayfish population is way up.
Also helping out is a higher lake because the flooded tules will provide excellent spawning conditions. The lake level reached 6 feet on the Rumsey Gauge early Tuesday and it continues to climb.
Clear Lake’s excellent bass fishing hasn’t gone unnoticed across the state. In fact, even during bad weather days fishermen are flocking to the lake to test their skills against the hard-fighting largemouth bass.
It’s not just the tournament fishermen who benefit from the excellent bass fishing at Clear Lake. More and more families are now coming to the lake to cash in on the excellent fishing. It’s amazing the number of calls I receive each week from fishermen who want to know how this fishing is. Many of these fishermen plan on bringing their wives and kids up for a day’s fishing. To me, that’s more exciting than tournament fishing.
It’s not just the bass fishery that’s thriving. Crappie are being caught by the dozens. In some areas, fishermen report catching up to 50 crappie per day. An indication that crappie are making a remarkable comeback is the wide variety of sizes. The crappie range in size from a few ounces to more than a pound.
Other nearby lakes are also experiencing a resurgence in fishing. Lake Mendocino is full and providing excellent bass action. Upper Blue Lake is putting out limits of trout. Lake Pillsbury will be stocked with trout next week.
Clear Lake has something for everyone, whether you’re a fisherman, sightseer or bird watcher.
