Weather will play a major role in the fishing this weekend. Storms packing rain and strong winds are forecast for today and into Saturday.
The good news is the overall bass fishing has been rated from fair to good all week at Clear Lake, and with some large fish being caught. The trick to success is to keep moving until you find active fish because the bass have been on the move. The hot lures include small swimbaits, plastic worms, Senkos and jigs. Jerkbaits also have been successful.
Fishermen report seeing large schools of threadfin shad and the bass are following them. The larger fish are being caught in the north end of the lake. If you’re seeking numbers, you should head to the south end. Most of the guides report their clients are catching from 15-30 fish per day. The guides are using jumbo live minnows.
The full lake means that the fishing should be nothing short of phenomenal this summer. The tules have plenty of water for the bass to be protected during the spawning season. In fact, fishermen report bass are already moving into the shallow to began their spawning rituals.
This year the water is clearing up fast and that means the bass spook easier and fishermen need to move slowly so as not to scare the fish. One method is to make long casts. Drop-shotting a plastic worm is also very effective. Another effective technique is to work back in the pockets in the tules with a shaky head jig. The state and county parks have been giving up a fair number of bass as has Rocky Point and the docks near Nice and Lucerne.
Crappie action has been a hit-and-miss affair. While some anglers are loading up on the crappie, others are struggling to catch five or six. The Clear Lake State Park remains the hot spot for shore anglers. Henderson Point and Shag Rocks continue to kick out good numbers of both crappie and bluegill for the boaters.
Catfish action should be kicking into high gear with the arrival of warmer weather. The catfish will be spawning in the sunken tires that are scattered along the bottom throughout the lake. One of the better areas has been from Henderson Point to Shag Rock. The shoreline at Lakeside County Park is another good catfish area.
Upper Blue Lake is kicking out a few trout for those who are trolling the middle of the lake. The trout being caught have been good-sized, some 14-16 inches long. The good news is the water is starting to clear up, which should improve the fishing. So far the fishing pressure has been very light.
Smallmouth bass fishing at Lake Mendocino has been good and some are as big as 4 pounds. The lake is in great shape and the fishing should improve as the water warms up.
The spring wild turkey season is in full swing and to date the success rate has been high. Lakeport resident Ron Sneed bagged a trophy tom with his bow on Wednesday while hunting out of Upper Lake. The bird weighed an incredible 23 pounds and had a 10-inch beard. To date, Sneed has bagged two toms this season. Sneed is an experienced turkey hunter and still gets out in the woods despite some medical problems.
If you plan on hunting in the Mendocino National Forest be careful when traveling the backroads. Many of the roads are very muddy from the recent storms and it’s easy to get stuck. Be sure to tell someone where you will be hunting and when you plan on returning. Take along some warm clothes in case you have to spend the night in the forest. Also take your cellphone.
