Clear Lake will be a busy place this weekend as there are two major tournaments scheduled. There are also dozens of recreational fishermen out on the lake.
The reason the recreational fishermen are coming out in large numbers is because the lake is in excellent shape. The lake is full and the water is clearing. All that’s needed is some warm weather, which should cause the bass to move onto their spawning beds. The mornings have been cool, just above freezing, but the temperatures are rising into the mid-60s by the afternoon.
NewJen is holding a two-day pro/am tournament. The weigh-in both Saturday and Sunday is 3 p.m. at Library Park in Lakeport. Some of the top professional fishermen in the West are competing. NewJen is one of the top tournament circuits in the West. If the results of recent tournament held on the lake are any indication there should be some huge bass weighed in.
Recent tournaments have produced fish weighing 11-pounds-plus and it has taken at least 31 pounds for five fish to win. Best Bass Tournament (BBT) held a team tournament last weekend and it took 35 pounds to win it. The big fish of he event weighed more than 11 pounds. The lake is full and will stay that way until Yolo County takes its allotment of water.
Catfish derby
The other tournament scheduled this weekend is a two-day catfish derby sponsored by Lakeport Bait and Tackle. The tournament is Saturday and Sunday and goes out of Library Park in Lakeport. The tournament is a three-man team tournament and the entry fee is $150 per team. All the catfish must released and weighed in alive. There is a three-fish limit per team. For more information contact Lakeport Bait and Tackle at (707) 900-5101.
The good news for fishermen is huge catfish are being caught everywhere around the lake and it will probably take at least a 25-pounder to take first place. A lot of fishermen will be using the tournament to prepare for the granddaddy of catfish derbies, the Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven annual derby, scheduled for May 19-21. It’s the largest catfish derby west of the Mississippi and will field approximately 1,000 fishermen from throughout the United States and even Europe.
Other lakes
The other lakes in Lake County are also producing good action. Upper Blue Lake is decent for trout and bass even though it hasn’t been stocked in a couple of weeks.
Lake Pillsbury is good for bass and fair for trout. Highland Springs Lake is good for bass and bluegill. This is also a good lake for camping and enjoying nature.
Bird watching
Clear Lake is loaded with birds of all species, including pelicans. Some of the best places to observe the wild birds are Lakeside County Park, Clear Lake State Park, Redbud Park and the shoreline at Nice and Lucerne. Be sure and take a pair of binoculars. You will see white pelicans, bald eagles and hundreds of other birds.
