The Lake County Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for its 31th annual Clear Lake Team Bass Tournament, which is scheduled for March 17-18. Fishermen are all ready out prefishing. Last year the tournament drew 116 teams and it took 68 pounds to win the $5,000 first prize. This year if a team breaks the current lake record of 17.52 pounds it will pocket an additional $10,000.
The entry fee for the tournament is $200 per team and includes the big-fish option. Fishermen can sign up for the tournament as late as 4 p.m. on March 16 at the chamber office located at 875 Lakeport Blvd. in Lakeport. Call 263-5092 for more information.
Good bite
Fishermen out on the lake this week faced miserable weather conditions but the few fishermen out there reported decent action. Local fishing guide Bob Myskey guided a pair of anglers earlier this week and they caught 16 bass, several between 3-4 pounds. Myskey said they caught their bass using plastic worms rigged drop-shot style. They stayed in the north end of the lake.
Some of the better areas have been the docks along the Nice and Lucerne shoreline. Soda Bay, Henderson Point and the docks north of Lakeport also have been good areas. The trick to success is to keep on the move until you locate active fish. The water temperatures have been varying from a low of 42 degrees in the morning to a high of 51 degrees by late afternoon. Most of the bass are being caught late in the afternoons.
New owner
Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport has a new owner. David Burruss purchased the business and took over operation this past week. His hours will be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The shop carries all the latest fishing equipment, including live bait. The telephone number is 262-5852. Burruss said he welcomes fishermen to drop by and say hello.
Crappie, bluegill
Crappie and bluegill action remains very good throughout the lake. Just about every dock is holding good numbers of crappie and some are weighing more than a pound. Crappie jigs have been the top lure. Bluegill have been hitting nightcrawlers. The Clear Lake State Park has been one of the better areas for both crappie and bluegill. Fishermen are being cautioned that game wardens have been checking fishermen closely for overlimits. The daily and possession limit is 25 fish for combined crappie and bluegill.
Trout stocking
There’s good news for trout fishermen. Upper Blue Lake is scheduled to be stocked with trout next week. The stocking will probably occur either Wednesday or Thursday.
Lake Mendocino
Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good at Lake Mendocino. Several fishermen report catching from 10-15 smallmouths using jigs and drop-shotting a plastic worm. The area along the dam has been one of the better areas.
Stay safe
With lake water in the 40-degree-plus range, fishermen are reminded to always wear their life jackets. A bass fisherman fell out of his boat on Saturday while fishing near Rocky Point. He was wearing heavy clothing and his life vest. Luckily, he managed to get back into his boat but he lost some expensive fishing equipment. The survival time in the water during the cold winter months is just minutes, even when wearing a life vest.
