Plenty of fish, just not big ones

Fishing tightens up as lake level drops, weed growth picks up

Clear Lake continues to be one of the more popular bass tournament lakes in the country. Just about every weekend during the past few months there has been a tournament and this weekend it’s no different with an Anglers Press Future Pro tournament scheduled for Saturday. It will operate out of Redbud Park in Clearlake.

Overall the fishing is still rated as good although a few fishermen have been struggling. The one major problem is the lack of large bass. Most of the fish being caught are between 1-3 pounds with the occasional 5-pounder. The 8-pounders, which have been common in the past, have all but disappeared.

The series of tournaments held last weekend showed just how rare large bass have been. American Bass held two tournaments and the big fish in both weighed 5.3 pounds. The winning weight for Saturday’s tournament was 18.4 pounds. It was a little better Sunday at 20 pounds. The tournament fishermen said the trick to success was a slow retrieve. Plastic worms either drop-shot style or with a split-shot attached 6 inches up the line from the hook continue to be one of the top techniques. The best action has come during the late afternoon.

Two kayak tournaments also were held last weekend. Wild West Bass Trail ( WWBT) held its Tournament of Champions (TOC) Saturday and the event drew 60 kayaks. Kayak tournaments are judged differently than the bass boat tournaments. Instead of weighing the fish, they are measured on a board by the fisherman and the results are then transmitted by Iphone to a judge. Each contestant can catch and measure as many fish as he desires but only the five longest count toward his total. The winning length in Saturday’s WBBT tournament measured a total of 166 inches for five fish. The big fish of the tournament measured 22.25 inches.

Kayak tournaments are the wave of the future and in coming years Clear Lake will be hosting dozens of these types of tournaments. One reason kayak tournaments are gaining in popularity is because the cost of a kayak is only a fraction of the price of a new bass boat. A completely rigged kayak costs about $6,000. Compare that with a new bass boat that an run as much as $90,000. The modern kayak has all the same electronics as a bass boat and they are very stable. Most are equipped with an electric trolling motor and foot pedals, and they can go as fast as 7 mph. The best part is they can be transported in the bed of a pickup truck. Besides that, kayak fishermen can launch from just about anywhere around the lake.

Other fish

Catfish, crappie and bluegill are also being caught in good numbers, mostly by shore anglers. Just about every shoreline is producing crappie and