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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
You can feel autumn in the air now – albeit only for a few hours in the early morning. We’re seeing consistent upper 40s at night and the lake temperature is gradually dropping. (Low 70s these last few days.) The bass are hinting at a better bite, the cats are still prowling, and there’s bluegill to be caught. Here’s what I know …
There’s been agreement this week that the bass bite is improving. That short morning window for the bass bite has opened up from just a couple of hours right at sun up to three and even four hours from about six to ten in the morning. A longer fishing window means more fish to most anglers.
The other important change to note this week is the jerk bait bite. The bass are now suspending and jerk baits like Lucky Craft’s Pointer in the 78 series and Rapala’s X-Raps and Husky Jerk lures are now in the mix.
I’d also look to some lipless crankbaits to be happening as the bass are more in the mood to chase a lure. I’m very optimistic about the fall bite being some of the best bass fishing of the year for 2008!
The crappie season doesn’t typically get going again until November. We’ll keep you posted as things change on that front. However, several of my local anglers have been chasing bluegill and doing well. We’ve also got Meal and Wax worms back in stock to help in that pursuit. Fishing below docks during the middle of the day has been the key.
Catfish continue to tempted using mackerel, shrimp, anchovies, night crawlers, and live minnows. Some folks are doing well with other favorites too like chicken livers and clams. There isn’t any real trick to the catfish, soak your bait and be patient. You’ll likely get bit! Shore anglers and boaters alike are doing well all over the lake where access isn’t restricted by weeds.
Bob Rider is owner of Lakeshore Bait and Tackle, located at 14913-D Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake. Call the shop at 707-994-FISH (3474) or visit www.994Fish.com for more information as well as updates on the latest fishing and hunting merchandise.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Now the little ones are back to grade school, your big kids are doing the high school social thing, and your college kids have returned to their campuses. Hopefully, with all the busyness behind us, we can get down to getting back on the water. (And you thought summers were for having fun. Hah!)
And for all of us, kids or no kids, we look forward to a fall season with fewer boats on the water and improved fishing conditions. While we’ve still got some warm weather yet to go – today’s forecast to be just above 100 again – cooler weather should be right around the corner. And with it, we’ll see the weeds die back and the fish eating well before winter sets in.
September always sees a boost in the number of fish caught over the months of July and August. We’ve seen proof of that already with reports from our local regulars who keep us up to date on what they’re doing each week (and in some cases daily).
Actually, I’d like to take just a moment of your time to recognize a few folks for their contributions. Paul Turmaine, Clint Abbott, Jerry Sloneker, Vern Westberg, Fishing Guide Dave Gilbert, Fishing Guide Bob Thein, Gary Moore, Don Wiese and Bob Koch are all regular contributors of sound and honest fishing information. There are many more that we hear from, but these guys all get kudos for sharing what they love on an ongoing basis. Thanks, fellas!
OK, on with the bite reports …
Bass anglers continue to see the best action before 9 a.m. The bite has opened up some with up to twice as many fish caught when compared to the same period from a week ago. The tough mid-day bite continues also. Most are working jigs, drop shot rigs or Carolina rigs (Baby Brush Hogs, Ol’ Monsters, and Big Dead Ringers) in deep water to keep the bite going. You’ll work hard at it this way, there are bass to be had. The water temp is running in the mid-70s.
A few diehard crappie anglers have been working late hours to find only a few fish a some deep water spots. There’s not much to report on this front … What we’re seeing is a very typical summer crappie bite. If we take a cue from the last few years, we shouldn’t really see much action until November. I’ll keep you posted.
On the catfish front, folks are still having a good time chasing cats all around the lake. My shore anglers staying at resorts and campgrounds around the lake are reporting decent catches. Boaters are also. All of the usual suspects (mackerel, anchovies, night crawlers, shrimp, etc.) have made an appearance this week for popular baits. We’ve had a pretty darn good year for catfish and there’s no sign of it letting up any time soon. So get out there with your favorite drifting or shore fishin’ rig and let ‘em take some line!
Bob Rider owns Lakeshore Bait & Tackle in Clearlake. Visit his Web site at www.994fish.com or call him at 994-FISH (3474).
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Bassers are finding top water action first thing in the morning to be pretty good. Mid-day action is downright slow. Most folks are switching to minnows or finesse rigs and moving to deeper water to find fish during the hottest hours of the day.
We have heard a couple of things with consistency lately:
Avoid areas with heavy baitfish populations during the day – you won’t get bit.
Avoid areas where weeds are in decay – the oxygen level drops substantially in these areas and the bass find it uncomfortable so the move out and away.
You’ll find areas marked with red buoys – these are marking locations where they’ve found hydrilla. Stay away from these marked areas for a couple of reasons. Reason No. 1 – your prop chops hydrilla and it’ll spread. That’s bad news. Reason No. 2 – the hydrilla project folks have been poisoning the hydrilla. The fish don’t like it and they leave. Keep these issues in mind as you’re moving around our phenomenal lake and you’ll do better than most.
Crappie anglers are still plugging away. They’re not finding much action, but the hopes of finding a few nice slabs keep ‘em trying. We’ve heard of a few nice fish being caught in deep water areas during the hours of darkness.
The biggest development on the lake this week is the return of the bluegill to the local docks. Our local bluegill fishermen have been having a ball with mini-crawlers, red worms, and night crawlers all day long.
Catfish action has continued to be pretty good. Shore anglers and boaters are enjoying a steady bite on a variety of common baits – the marshmallow/shrimp combination, mackerel, anchovies, livers, clams, etc. Jago Bay, Rattlesnake Island, Cache Creek and Henderson Point have all seen action this last week.
Enjoy your Labor Day weekend. Play safe and have fun. Drop on by the shop when you have a chance and let me know you read our report.
Bob Rider owns Lakeshore Bait & Tackle in Clearlake. Visit his Web site at www.994fish.com or call him at 994-FISH (3474).
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CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK – Geologic changes are taking place in Lake County every day, but nothing as dramatic as 200 million years ago when Pangaea broke apart to form our continents.
To check out some of these dramatic happenings, join docent D. A. Butts in the Clear Lake State Park Visitor Center Auditorium at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 30, for a bit of history of our land.
Butts will share some intriguing facts about our matchless world right down to our small plot of ground. His enthusiasm about his subject will certainly add to your appreciation of the unique landscape of Lake County.
There is no entrance fee for visitor center programs.
Learn about the natural history of Lake County by touring the museum and inspect unique items in the gift shop.
The last summer Junior Ranger program for children 7 to 12 will be 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Visitor Center. For information please call 279-2267.
Clear State Park Interpretive Association (CLSPIA), sponsor of all summer visitor center programs, will keep the visitor center open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through September and through Saturday, Oct. 4.
The pinnacle of the season will be on Oct. 4 with A Wild Affair in Your Park. This will be a wine tasting event with hors d’oeuvres, speakers and music from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $35. This is a CLSPIA fundraiser to complete the funding for the Education Pavilion to be built across from the visitor center. We all fought to keep our Clear Lake State Park open for the public use and now we ask your support in completing the final phase of the Education Pavilion. Please reserve now by phoning 279-4395.
Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
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