With Clear Lake sitting at the flood stage the activity on the lake has come to a virtual standstill. As of Thursday morning, the lake level was at 9.12 feet on the Rumsey Gauge and rising. When the ground is saturated, as it is now, the lake level will rise approximately 5 inches for every one inch of rainfall. The lake level could easily hit the 10-foot mark within a week or less. The lake level reached its highest level in 1998 when it topped 11.44 feet. In recent times the highest the lake level was 9.37 feet in 2011. The lake level could top that mark by today.
Due to the flooded conditions, all the public boat ramps around the lake are now closed. In addition, the Clear Lake State Park is completely closed due to flooding. It will be at least a week or even longer before they reopen.
In 1998 the water rose so high that it flooded homes all around lake and in Library Park in Lakeport people were actually boating around in the park. Redbud Park in Clearlake was completely underwater.
Prior to the state park closing, the crappie fishing was improving daily and some fishermen were catching as many as 25 crappie a day. As soon as the park can reopen the excellent fishing should continue. Just about all the fishing in the next week will be from shore and one area that should be worth a try are the docks at the Library Park in Lakeport. Catfish will be feeding in the area due to the muddy water.
Starting on Monday the county’s quagga mussel sticker will increase a 100 percent from the present $10 to $20. The county will receive $13 for each sticker sold with $7 going to the businesses that sell the sticker to the boaters. The sticker is required annually for Lake County residents and monthly for nonresidents. Mark Miller of the county’s Water Resources Department said the reason for the increase is because the sticker program has been operating at a loss the past two years. He said that last year the county lost $90,000 on the program. Not everyone is happy about the fee increase. Lake County Chamber of Commerce CEO Melissa Fulton has asked for at least a month delay in the fee increase so that it can be discussed. “This has come as a complete surprise to all of us and to implement this increase immediately is not very wise,” said Fulton.
The annual lake County Chamber of Commerce team bass tournament is just a little more than a month away. The tournament is scheduled for March 18-19. The entry fee is $200 per team and includes the big fish option. The tournament pays back a 100 percent of the entry fee. Entry forms are available at all the tackle shops as well as at the chamber office in Lakeport. For more information call (707) 263-5092.
Upper Blue Lake is still very muddy and very few fishermen have been out. The lake was scheduled to be stocked with trout this week but with the poor weather conditions it’s doubtful the lake was stocked.
