Clear Lake 8-27-21

[Pat Dilling]

James Moseby and I headed to Clear Lake on Friday.  Water is very low and launching was sketchy at the Clearlake Oaks ramp, but we made it in and back out.  Water clarity varied from a couple feet to nothing with a bad algae bloom. There were baitfish everywhere, huge schools of silverside minnow, some of them stretched 200 yards along a bank.  Water temp was 77 when we started, we were hoping for topwater and reaction bites, but they just weren't there.  Started by expanding on a previously reliable area, fish jumping everywhere but we figured out they were mostly carp.  Very slow start then James called for the net and landed nice 4.69# largemouth on a green pumpkin wacky Senko.  Fish was off the front of a floating dock in about 3 feet of water.  Continued down the bank hitting docks and areas in between. I was fishing a Z-man Hula stick on a 3/16th oz rugby head.  Had a very sharp strike and set the hook and the fish took off like a rocket pulling drag.  I immediately thought "cat fish" and sure enough it was.  Not a big one by Clear Lake standards, about 5 pounds, still fun to reel in.  Mike Cork is right catching one every time I go lately. Fishing was slow so we moved to another area that turned out to have a bad algae bloom, yukky!  Moving around to reliable areas produced a few good keepers, 2-2.5#. Caught some dropshotting a 5.5" Robo Margarita Mutilator III curl tail worm.  Finally stopped on the side of a point with some wind that actually had some tules still in the water.  Cast my hula stick and felt a bite, then nothing, figured the fish swimming toward me and set the hook.  About 50 baitfish jumped everywhere and the fight was on.  Got the fish in the boat, weighed 4.03 pounds.  Overall the fishing was slow, 6 for me, 3 for James.  At least we got a couple good ones.  This may be my last trip to Clear Lake this year as the water continues to drop making launching difficult/dangerous and the fishing is really getting slow.  Boat and gear were filthy when we were done.  Hopefully we get some rain! I realized that if I go I need to explore different areas, fish do move as conditions change.

[Dog]

I was wanting to go up to clear lake but been hearing bad to launch at and was real smoky right now. Hope we get a lot of water this winter been a while since I been there and want to go back.
Looks like you guys had a great time.

[Pat Dilling]

Thanks Dog.  Clear Lake still rocks it,.  Yesterday it took 24+ pounds to win an 80 boat tourney and 17# to get a check.  Big fish was just 6.4, but lots of 4 and 5 pounders caught..  On a plus note, once the water drops where we can't get on the lake, those fish will be much less pressured. And there is a ton of food for them to eat.  Looks like we will miss the usually awesome Fall crankbait bite.  Unless you launch a kayak.  Sure hope we get some rain.

[Mike Cork]

Man you guys are having a great time... Tell Moseby I said hello. Definitely looks dry in the background. I don't ever remember Clear Lake getting too low to launch. Hopefully the rain will start soon. I see the hurricanes in the Baja and big storms up on the Washington coast, it's like you're right in the middle and these other storms are sucking up all the moisture....

You are entered into the Dobyns Champion Series rod giveaway, post more reports for more entries
click here for giveaway rules

[Pat Dilling]

Will do Mike.  James just adopted a little girl, retired from the USPS, and bought a new RAM.  So his life is full.  He still has his 2002 Skeeter Yamaha combo.  Clear Lake has only been lower two times, once in 1977 and sometime in the 1930s I think.  I sure wish we could get some of that rain.  Our state is drying up and burning up.  South Lake Tahoe is currently evacuated, threatened by the Caldor fire. 

[Mike Cork]

We're watching the Caldor Fire on the National News... Seems like every year, Nor Cal is getting a major fire. It's so heart breaking to see all the homes burning... I can't imagine losing everything like that.

[Bud Kennedy]

I have family that lived in Napa.  During one of our visits there in the early 80s my Uncle arranged a bass fishing trip at Clear Lake.  I don't remember the Guides name but he put us on a lot of fish but I kept getting distracted just by the awesome beauty of this total area.  It is a real shame to see what is currently happening with the fires and to see some of the other lakes being dried up.  Clear Lake is a natural lake, is it in a low water condition also?  I also remember that this was my first time riding in a Ranger boat.  It was a 300 series with a 150 just like the boat I currently have.  Sure wish I could remember the guides name but I am drawing a total blank.  I just remember it was a bit of a mad scramble getting to the launch area.  I think there was a gate that did not open until a certain time and folks would line up and get their boats ready.  When the gate opened then it was like a NASCAR race getting to the ramp to get launched to get to some of the best spots.  Heck they all seemed like good spots to me.  We caught fish at every location we hit. 

[Pat Dilling]

Clear Lake is a natural lake, is it in a low water condition also? 

Sadly, Clear Lake is the lowest it has been since 1977.  My friend Keith Clow was a guide during the time you were there.  Maybe it was him.

[Pat Dilling]

We're watching the Caldor Fire on the National News... Seems like every year, Nor Cal is getting a major fire. It's so heart breaking to see all the homes burning... I can't imagine losing everything like that.

Looks like so far they are succeeding in keeping the Caldor fire away from South Lake Tahoe and the ski resorts.  We are having some cooler weather with not too much wind and that helps a lot.

[Mike Cork]

This is great news. I hope they can get a lot of containment. The favorable weather never lasts long...