Fishermen switching to `sight fishing'

Bass protecting their nests during spawning season are highly aggressive

Hot summer weather greeted fishermen on Clear Lake this week. The result is bass are now on their spawning beds and the more successful fishermen are sight fishing. Fishing for spawning bass is called “sight fishing” because you get to see the fish all the time. The bass are guarding their nests, eggs and small fingerlings.

The primary predator of bass eggs and small bass are bluegill. A male bass will attack anything coming near its nest and fishermen use this aggressive behavior to catch them. Sight fishing is especially popular during bass tournaments because it produces larger fish. Often a fisherman can tease a bass for up to 30 minutes before it finally attacks the lure.

Overall the bass fishing at Clear Lake is rated only fair although there have been a few days when fishermen are catching up to a dozen bass. There are no bass tournaments this weekend with the exception of club tournaments. The fishing pressure has been unbelievable this year because of numerous major tournament. On any given weekday the parking lots at the boat ramps have been busy, and most weekends they are full, even with the high cost of gasoline. Several fishermen told me it costs more than $300 to fill up their boat.

There are several large bass tournaments scheduled for the next two months and many are going out of Skylark Shores Resort in Lakeport. Twenty years ago the Skylark Resort, as it was called back then, was the No. 1 tournament destination on the lake and it appears it will be taking over that title again. In fact, the nearby ramps at the Library Park in Lakeport (Third Street and Fifth Street) could be the only usable public ramps on the lake by the end of the summer because of the drought. The lake level is dropping at a rate of about a little more than an inch a week. As of Thursday, the lake level was .03 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. It could be at zero within a week.

The problem is that the boat ramps drop off at the end. One solution would be to drop some gravel at the ends of the ramps, which would allow boat trailers to extend down the ramp. The county needs to study the issue and come up with a solution … quickly. When you take away the boating attraction of Clear Lake it has a major impact on tourism for Lake County and its businesses.

Still red-hot

In addition to the bass fishing, the crappie fishing has been nothing short of fantastic. Local crappie guides say their clients are catching up to 70 crappie a day. The fishermen fishing from docks at Library Park in Lakeport have been catching good numbers of crappie. Catfish are also being caught in good numbers, some weighing up to 20 pounds.

Highland Springs

Fishermen using float tubes at Highland Springs Reservoir are catching plenty of bass although they've been small, weighing only about a pound. Bluegill are also biting.

Trout action

Trout are being caught in the East Branch of the Russian River off the road to Potter Valley. The stream has been stocked with trout several times during the past month. Upper Blue Lake is fair for trout. Boaters trolling various lures have been having the best luck.

Hiking

Now is the perfect time to take a hike in the backcountry. The Mendocino National Forest has dozens of trails. Mount Konocti would be another great choice. Just take plenty of water and some food and take your time. Another great place to hike is Clear Lake State Park. The park has plenty of well-kept trails and is a safe place to hike or picnic.