Windy and cool weather slowed the fishing action on Clear Lake this week. The wind limited the areas where fishermen could fish. The cooler weather also lowered the water temperature and the fish moved out into the deeper water. Local fishing guide Bob Myskey guided two clients Wednesday and said they caught 25 bass although most of the fish weighed only about a pound. Their largest weighed 3 pounds.
Wayne Breazeale of Kelseyville teamed up with Gary Barret of Yuba City to win the two-day Wild West Bass Tournament Trail Tournament of Champions held at Clear Lake last weekend. They caught 70.8 pounds and won a new Ranger bass boat and cash.
Prior to the cooler weather setting in, the bass were hitting topwater lures such as plastic frogs, Horney Toads and buzzbaits. The trick is to keep on the move and cover a lot of water. The bass are constantly moving and looking for baitfish. Bass are being caught in both the north and south ends of the lake. The good news is that weed mats are starting to form and the bass will be holding beneath these mats during the hottest part of the day. The best fishing times have been from noon until dark when the topwater lures have been providing the best action.
Crappie action has slowed a bit but is still rated as good. The docks at Library Park in Lakeport are good one day and poor the next. The shoreline was sprayed with a herbicide earlier this week to kill the weeds, which slowed the fishing temporarily. That could change as the water clears up.
The good news is that fishing conditions should return to normal this weekend as warmer weather is forecast. That should improve the topwater action. There are no major bass tournaments scheduled for several weeks.
Trout fishing in the East Branch of the Russian River and at Upper Blue Lake is rated from poor to fair. Neither body of water has been stocked in more than two weeks. The other major problem is the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DWF) has been stocking the waters in the state with smaller trout. It’s all part of a savings plan. At Upper Blue Lake, the best action continues to be trolling in the middle of the lake. A few trout are being caught by bank fishermen but it’s hardly worth the effort.
Lake Pillsbury is providing good bass action. The bass are averaging from 1-5 pounds with jigs being the top lure. A few trout are being caught by trollers. The lake hasn’t been stocked in more than a month. There is no word coming out of Indian Valley Reservoir. The lake is worth a try for bass but there are no plans to stock the lake with either kokanee or trout.
There has been some confusion about which boats require a county quagga mussel sticker. According to Mark Miller of Lake County Water Resources Department, only trailered boats require the sticker. Cartop boats, canoes and kayaks don’t require a sticker even if they have an outboard motor. The ordinance states “car-top boats, kayaks, float tubes, rafts, windsurfers/boards, boogey boards, nonmotorized paddle boats and nonmotorized sail boats that are eight feet or less in length aren’t required to have a sticker.”
The Kiss My Clear Lake Bass ceremony scheduled for June 26 has been changed to July 24. The person who gets the most votes is required to kiss a live bass on the lips. Proceeds from the contest go to a charity. I am one of the candidates and my charity is Lake County Hospice.
