Catfishermen will be out in force this weekend prefishing for the upcoming 33st annual Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven Catfish Derby scheduled for May 13-15. Last year’s derby drew 949 fishermen and, according to derby officials, this year’s sign-ups are running about the same as last year. Fishermen come from around the country, including Hawaii and Canada, to compete in the derby. It is one of the largest catfish derbies in the country.
The derby should produce a lot of big catfish if the weather cooperates. The lake is known for holding huge catfish and most of the experts say it will take at least a 25-pounder to walk off with the top prize. Last year the winning catfish weighed 24.74 pounds and it took 18 pounds to finish in the money.
The derby features more than $10,000 in cash and prizes and pays down to the top 20 finishers. The entry fee is $40 for adults if they sign up before 11 p.m. on Thursday at the Clearlake Oaks Firehouse. Sign-ups will be accepted until 11 p.m. on May 13 but there will be an additional $5 late fee. The fee for the kids division is $10.
Entry forms and complete rules for derby can be obtained from www.clearlakeoaks.org or you can call 998-1006 for more information. The Limit Out Bait and Tackle Shop in Clearlake Oaks is open until 11 p.m. on derby days.
Overall the bass fishing on Clear Lake is a hit-and-miss affair. The successful fishermen are the ones who keep on the move until they locate fish. The problem has been the massive amount of bait fish. Threadfin shad are everywhere and there are also thousands of juvenile crappie and bluegills. The top lure this past week has been a wacky-rigged Senko. LV500 lipless crankbaits are also taking bass weighing up to 10 pounds. Small silver-colored jerk baits are also worth a try. The smaller swimbaits also have been effective. Many of the bass being caught are the smaller males who are guarding the nests, There also are dozens of juvenile bass schooling along the shoreline. These are perfect fish for kids as they will readily grab a nightcrawler.
Future Pro is holding a team tournament on Saturday. The tournament is expected to draw approximately 100 boats and operates out of Library Park in Lakeport. The weigh-in starts at 3 p.m.
Crappie fishing continues to be very good at just about any location around the lake. The State Park remains one of the better areas for shore anglers. The docks at Library Park in Lakeport are another excellent spot. Lakeside County Park is kicking out good numbers of crappie and an occasional bass.
Highland Spring Reservoir, located just outside of Lakeport, is providing good action on bass and even crappie. This small lake is ideal for float tubers.
Trout anglers at the East Branch of the Russian River in Potter Valley found mixed action for their opener last weekend. Those who fished just at daylight found decent action, but the success rate fell way off by midday. Typically the fishing improves in the coming weeks as more trout are stocked into the stream. Upper Blue Lakes is providing decent action for boaters. Lake Pillsbury should be worth a try for both trout and bass. This is also a great lake for a camping trip.
