The recreational fishermen will have Clear Lake pretty much to themselves over the weekend. There are no major bass tournaments scheduled and only a few club tournaments. Overall the fishing is rated from fair to good. The water color is good and the algae is pretty much gone for the year. The lake level as of Wednesday morning was holding at a plus 3.27 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. The mornings have been bitter cold and even a slight breeze makes it uncomfortable.
On the fishing scene the fishermen are finding mixed action with some of the fishermen doing very well and others are struggling. The more successful anglers are making a super slow retrieve and allowing their lures to bump the bottom. The bass are still very lethargic and only mouthing the lure before swimming off. Just about all the fishermen report getting several bites before hooking a fish.
The best areas are still in the deeper water in the south end of the lake. The area from Shag Rock to Rattlesnake Island has been providing decent action. A few bass are also being caught off the swim beach at the Clear Lake State Park. The north end of the lake near Rocky Point is still producing very few fish. The fishermen also report seeing fewer bait fish or even graphing them. Apparently, the bait fish have moved offshore which is normal for this time of the year.
Crappie action has been good one day and slow the next. The more successful fishermen have been using live minnows. All the tackle shops have live minnows and they include both the smaller ones for crappie and the jumbo minnows for bass.
Catfish action remains very good for the few anglers out after them. The trick is to use your electronics to locate the schools of catfish. They have been holding in the deeper water and the successful fishermen have been using shrimp for bait. The catfish being caught have been large with many topping 15 pounds.
Upper blue Lake is producing decent numbers of trout. The lake was stocked last week and both trollers and bank fishermen have been catching fish. A few bass are also being caught by fishermen in boats. One fisherman fished Highland Springs Reservoir earlier this week and caught four bass and a bunch of bluegill. He fished from a kayak.
Duck hunters go into their final two weeks of the season, it closes on Jan. 31 and to date the hunting success has been rated only fair in many of the waterfowl refuges in the Sacramento Valley. Quail season in Lake and Mendocino counties closes on Sunday. This is been an excellent year for quail hunting.
The winter is an ideal time to take a hike at the Clear Lake State Park, located on Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville. The reason being is that you will get a good opportunity to view some wildlife. It’s common to see deer and a wide variety of birds at the park. The park has a number of hiking trails that will accommodate all types of hikers. If you take your dog be sure it is on a leash.
Resident boaters are reminded that their Lake County quagga mussel stickers are due. The local tackle shops and the ramp monitors carry the sticker and the annual cost is $20. There is a hefty fine if your caught without a current sticker.
January 19 is the day that fishermen can sign up for the annual Lake County Chamber of Commerce, scheduled for March 17-18. The sign-ups start at 9 a.m. at the Chamber office. Some of the fishermen will sleep out in their cars so they can be first in line. The blast-off for the first day of the tournament will be in order that they sign-up.
