Trout action grabbed the fishing spotlight this past week. The East Branch of the Russian River produced some monster trout for the few anglers out on the stream. David Burruss of Clear Lake Outdoors Tackle fished the stream with Gary Hill of Kelseyville and they limited out in less than an hour. Hill said there were trout in just about every hole but hardly any fishermen. They used eggs and power bait.
To reach the fishing area, take the Potter Valley exit off Highway 20. The best fishing is from the bridge upstream for about a mile.
The other good news for trout fishermen is that Upper Blue Lake was scheduled to be stocked this week. This is the first time the lake has been stocked in more than two months.
Bass fishing
Bass fishing on Clear Lake is settling into a typical fall fishing pattern. The Leukemia Benefit bass tournament held Saturday produced limits for just about all the fishermen. The winning team featured local anglers Paul Bailey and Shaun Moon. They had a five-fish limit weighing 24,79 pounds. They also caught the big fish of the tourney, a 7.86-pounder. The tournament drew 46 teams and it took 16.63 pounds to finish in the money.
Most of the fishermen said they drop-shotted plastic worms, cast LV500 lipless crankbaits and jigs. There is no question that the LV500 is one of the top crankbaits on Clear Lake. Mike Rothstein of Lakeport is one of the better bass fishermen on the lake and his favorite lure is the LV500. He casts it out and allows it to settle on the bottom. His retrieve is a yo-yo style where he lifts up the tip of he rod and then lowers it. Retrieved this way the lure resembles an injured minnow to the bass. Most of his hook-ups occur when the lure is resting on the bottom. Rothstein nearly always finishes in the top five places during a tournament and he recently won the Triton Boat Owners tournament held on Clear Lake.
The local fishing guides are averaging from 10-30 fish per day for their clients. The north end of the lake is one of the better areas. The rockpiles near Rocky Point have been producing decent numbers of fish. Another productive area has been the shoreline from Lucerne to Clearlake Oaks. Most of the successful fishermen say they are starting in the shallow water and moving out into the deeper water. One day the bass are holding shallow and the next they are going deep. The recent cool weather made being out on the lake at daylight a cold affair. For example, earlier this week there was frost on the boat ramps. The water temperature at the Fifth Street boat ramp in Lakeport that morning was a chilly 58 degrees.
Bluegill fishing
Bluegill action continues to be excellent for those rigging nightcrawlers beneath a bobber. Shag Rock continues to be one of the better areas. The same applies to Henderson Point. Lakeside County Park is producing bluegill for shore anglers.
Water draw
Yolo County has stopped drawing water from Clear Lake. The lake level is at .95 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. Five cubic feet per second is being released to provide habitat for the fish below the dam.
Duck/quail season
Duck hunters are finding mixed action at the private duck clubs and public hunting areas in the Sacramento Valley. The northern birds haven’t yet migrated to the Sacramento Valley. On Clear Lake a few hunters are getting limits of mallards and a few teal. Quail hunting has been good for the hunters working the Cache Creek Wildlife area and in parts of the Mendocino National Forest.
