Fishing is hit-or-miss right now
Number of fishermen out on Clear Lake continues to dwindle
Clear Lake is just about absent of fishermen this week. The few anglers out on the lake are having mixed results. A few are doing well casting LV500 lipless crankbaits. Some are also catching fish on jigs as well as plastic worms. It’s a hit-or-miss situation.
For example, one day the deeper water off Henderson Point is producing decent numbers of bass and the next day you can’t get a bite. One area that has been producing some quality fish is along the shoreline at Clearlake Oaks. Even the local fishing guides have been struggling and they have been using live jumbo minnows almost exclusively. The rockpiles off Rattlesnake Island have been another productive at different times.
The Wednesday Night Shootout is scheduling a bass tournament on New Year’s Day out of Redbud Park in Clearlake. The entry fee is $100 per team and the hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Catfish/crappie
Catfish action continues to be very good although there have been only a few fishermen out after them. The catfish being caught have been huge, a number weighing in the 15-poundplus class. Nightcrawlers, pieces of chicken or even hot dogs have been the top baits. A few fishermen are having good success on crappie. Some of the
crappie being caught are weighing up to 2 pounds.
Team tourney
The 35th annual Lake County Chamber of Commerce Team Bass Tournament is scheduled for March 20-21. Early signups open at in January on a day to be announced at the Lake County Chamber office located in Lakeport. Blast-off numbers for the first day of the tournament will be issued in the order fishermen sign up. The entry fee is $200 per team and includes big fish. The tournament features a 100-percent payback of all entry fees. It is one of the largest and most popular bass tournaments held on Clear Lake. Call (707) 263-5092 for more information.
Trout fishing
Trout action has been fair at Upper Blue Lake. A few fishermen are catching limits while others are averaging two to three fish per outing.
Hunting
Hunters are closing out their seasons. Pheasant and bear seasons close Dec. 27 while the turkey season is already closed. To date, hunters have bagged 879 bears throughout the state.
Outdoors
Winter is an ideal time to spend some time hiking and bird watching. Recently I spotted two bald eagles at Lakeside County Park. The lake also has a large population of white pelicans as well as egrets and other waterfowl. Clear Lake State Park and Anderson Marsh are both great areas to plan a winter hike. If the weather is nice, then a hike up to the summit of Mount Konocti offers a great view of the lake and surrounding hills.
Gift ideas
A great gift for last-minute Christmas shopping is a gift certificate from one of the local tackle shops. They are Limit Out Bait and Tackle in Clearlake Oaks, Konocti Bait Shack in Lucerne, Clearlake Bait and Tackle in Clearlake, Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport, and Lakeport Bait and Tackle in downtown Lakeport. The owners at all of these shops can offer excellent advice.
You also might want to take a drive over to the Sacramento Valley to view the thousands of waterfowl feeding in the rice fields. It’s a sight you will never forget and is a perfect way to spend a day with your family during these trying COVID-19 times.