Fourth of July weekend is upon us
Bass fishing on Clear Lake is rated from fair to good and should remain that way throughout the long three-day Fourth of July holiday weekend. Most fishermen report catching 1015 bass per day. Whereas many of them are weighing only 1-3 pounds, the fish are fun to catch, especially for youngsters.
A good example was Wednesday when a Sacramento angler was fishing with his wife. They started at 7 a.m. and quit by noon. During that period they landed approximately 15 bass that were 13 inches or longer, several of them between 3-5 pounds. They fished the area around Lakeside County Park and used plastic worms fished slowly along the bottom. In some areas they had a bite on just about every cast. Most of the bass were caught in less than 5 feet of water and over rocks. There also was some topwater action.
Other anglers reported similar success and several said they caught more than 20 bass on various plastics. The trick to success is to keep on the move until you locate active fish.
Even shore anglers have been cashing in on the action. A pair of Marin County fishermen said they had very good success fishing the shoreline at Lakeside County Park. Their largest bass weighed 5 pounds. The State Park is also providing some action for shore anglers.
Soda Bay, Henderson Point and Shag Rock are also giving up good numbers of bass. In the south end of the lake, the Clearlake Oaks arm is providing good action. Jigs and plastics have been the top lures.
There are no major bass tournaments scheduled for the holiday weekend but there will still be a lot of fishermen out on the lake.
Other fish
Crappie action has slowed a little but there are still a few being caught near Henderson Point and Shag Rock.
Catfish action has been very good for the few anglers out after them. Some of the catfish being caught are huge, weighing from 15-20 pounds.
One reason the fishing for all species has been so good is because of the high numbers of baitfish being seen everywhere. A good example is Corinthian Bay where pelicans can be seen chasing minnows all over the place.
Trout fishing
The Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) hasn't stocked Upper Blue Lake and the East Branch of the Russian River with trout in more than a month. In past years the DFW stocked these waters weekly and you would have thought they would have stocked these areas prior to the July 4 holiday.
One problem at the Russian River is a very low flow. However, Upper Blue Lake is in excellent condition and offering decent trout fishing.
Free fishing day
Saturday is a free fishing day and anyone can fish without a license. The DFW offers two Free Fishing Days each year — usually around the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends. On those two days only it's legal to fish without a license. The other free day is Sept. 3.
All fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect on Free Fishing Days.
Crowded Fourth
Clear Lake will be wall to wall with boaters this weekend and everyone should wear a life vest. Earlier this week I observed a boat launching at Library Park in Lakeport with five people onboard, including children. No one was wearing a life vest. The answer is to always wear one. The other thing is not to drink alcohol when operating a boat.