Bass fishermen returning to lake

NewJen tourney takes place out of Library Park

The bass tournament fishermen return to Clear Lake this weekend for a one-day team event, which goes out of Library

Park in Lakeport. The weighin starts at 3 p.m. The tournament is expected to draw approximately 100 boats,

The fishing pressure has dropped way off, especially among the recreational anglers. The number of fishermen traveling to Clear Lake this year has been only a fraction of what it used to be.

The weekends now see the parking lots at lake ramps holding only a few boats. The exception is during a tournament. NewJen is without a doubt one of the more popular bass tournament circuits..

Normally the bass would be staging for spawning at this time of year, but the cold weather has delayed the spawn. The water temperature has been holding between 45-50 degrees. The good news is that the lake is filling and there should be plenty of water this summer. The other local lakes also have plenty of water. Lake Berryessa, Lake Pillsbury and Lake Sonoma

all have high water levels and the fish are biting.

The Clear Lake level as of early Thursday afternoon was 4.77 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. Less than two months ago it was minus-2.40, a difference of more than 7 feet.

The big question is will Indian Valley Reservoir be open for recreation this summer?

Yolo County shut the lake last summer because it didn't have enough money to keep it open. To date, no decision has been made about the summer. The lake holds some trophy bass and is extremely popular among fishermen, boaters and kayackers.

Crappie/catfish

The crappie are still absent out on the lake. A few crappie are being caught but a take of two or three is considered an excellent day of the lake. What is biting in large numbers are the catfish, which are weighing up to 20 pounds and are being caught all around the lake. There are a couple catfish derbies this spring and summer.

30 teams

As of Tuesday there were 30 teams signed up for Lake County Chamber of Commerce Team Tournament. The tournament features 100-percent payback of the entry fees. There is also a daily $1,000 payback to whoever catches the biggest fish on that particular day. It is one of the more popular bass tournaments held in California. Fishermen come from all around the West to compete.

Hunting seasons

With the exception of wild pigs, all the hunting seasons are closed. Lake County has a large population of wild pigs and they draw a lot of hunters every year.

Worth a trip

Clear Lake State Park has a very large population of wild birds, plus all the comforts for camping and picnicking. A few years ago it was voted the best state park West of the Mississippi and the fourth-best state park in the nation. It is very clean and has a boat ramp as well as a swimming beach.