Clear Lake Conditions

Yes it is winter and yes it has been raining around the state and yes, the lake has risen. The lake level today is documented at .70 feet Rumsey, up .18 foot from last month. Last year on this date it was 1.07. Hopefully, this trend changes but we continue to see storms coming in and raining all around us but not in the watershed. Kelsey Creek is running, but barely. As a reminder, you can check out current lake level and dam releases shown on an hourly graph with the links available via our web site.

Water clarity is good and bad depending on the wind. There are parts of the lake with up to 4 to 6 feet of visibility and others with just a foot or two.

Surface temperature has cooled due to the fog this past week to the point that I have seen 42 to 45 over most of the lake. Normally this time of year the Redbud arm will be a little warmer than the rest of the lake, even if only by a degree or two.

All of the main launch ramps around the lake remain usable, although care should be used as the water level is really low.

Activity This Month

According to the DFG permit list there are only two tournaments on the lake in January. ABA has two team events scheduled this month. One is on the 10th and the other follows on the 24th. I expect the field of these events will be around 35 boats.

As always, if you are planning a trip to Clear Lake and don't know if your dates are going to be shared with a competitive event, drop me a line and I will let you know what I see listed on the calendar maintained by DFG. Just another service we offer.

December Fishing Recap

There is really not much of a report for December. Fishing pressure was extremely light and the little woman and I took almost two weeks off for a vacation.

The bite remained pretty good the first week of the month until the water temperature really started to drop. We did some live bait fishing and spent some time throwing jigs and rip baits. We were able to stay on some fish by really downsizing the rip bait size as we had outlined in previous newsletters. It was not a great bite but we could produce a limit of fish per day while others were struggling to get a bite or two.

We picked up most of the fish during the month in the Redbud arm and along the shoreline of Lucerne and Nice. The majority of the rip fish came from 4 to 6 feet of water. The bulk of the shiner and jig fish came from 20 to 25 feet of water.

It doesn't get much better than a family fishing trip. This little 9 year old Julian, fished hard and didn't miss on his opportunities. One of those opportunities produced this fish of almost 5 pounds. Wish I had a video of the fight, it was priceless!

2009 Overview

Now that 2010 is on us it is time to look back on 2009 from an overview perspective and outline the high points and low ones.

The number one high point has got to be that we ended 2009 quagga free. There should be no debate over this issue, if they land here the lake will be changed forever and it won't be a positive change.

Lack of rain gave us a lower lake level to deal with all year, which took some areas out of play early in the year. All of us had to figure out where the bass repositioned themselves each season.

Late spring through the fall we had a challenge presented by algae blooms that we have not seen in years. Algae blooms have been around here at Clear Lake for ages, but not like we experienced this year. It was nasty, ugly, and created all kinds of problems around the lake at resorts and launch ramps. For the most part though, it did not hurt the fishing, it just made the end of day clean up a bigger hassle.

With everything going on here, Clear Lake still remains the most productive tournament lake on the West Coast. There is no lake out here that gets the tournament pressure that this one gets and yet still continues to produce an average weight of 3 pounds for fish weighed in during competition.

The bass's meal of choice, the threadfin shad, is still virtually a no show with regards to making a come back. While I have heard reports of anglers finding shad and I have witnessed two separate occasions where a grebe came up with what looked like a shad, this prolific little bait fish has not made any significant comeback yet. They have been virtually gone from the lake for the past two years. While the shad are replaced by silverside minnows, and we witnessed a pretty good population of silversides this year, I remain convinced that the better fish rely much more on shad than silversides.

The population of larger fish is significantly down as evidenced by tournament results during the year, results of guides this year, and observations by the local regulars who fish the lake weekly. Very few double digit bass were weighed in during competition this year, and especially in comparison with the years of 2004 through 2006. A number of tournament big fish awards went to 7 and 8 pound fish this year. Looking at my numbers for this year against last year the number of 5 pound and heavier fish was down almost 50%. Many anglers I have spoken with report the same theme, that when they have landed a big fish it was not in good condition, looking thin and it should have weighed more than it did, and that was consistent throughout the year.

Our numbers for the year of 4 pound fish showed 127 in 2009 against 161 for 2008, a decrease of about 21%. Fish 5 pounds and over were down from 153 in 2008 to 76 in 2009, a decrease of about 50 %.

The flip side of the lower numbers of fish 5 pounds and larger is that there is a great population of fish in the 2.75 to 3.5 pound range. These fish represent the replacement class of fish prepared to come through the system. I also think these are the size fish that best make a living off of the silverside minnows.

There was a very good spawn with juvenile bass showing up this fall all over the lake.

Overall, fishing pressure was down significantly in 2009, not tournament dates, just the number of boats each week in general.

I do not pretend to be a biologist and I am certainly not the only expert on Clear Lake but I do feel that my numbers are true and that my field observations are accurate and match up well with what my peers are seeing as well.

Ken Ban with the big fish of the year, a solid double digit fish that bucked the trend of most of the big fish we caught this year, it was thick, stocky, and full.a real Clear Lake Trophy! Fell to a drop shotted worm.

Bassmaster Elite Viewing

Four of the 8 spots available for watching the Pros during the upcoming Elite event in March have been booked. Due to the fact that this event will bring close to 250 people to town, room space will be at a premium in Lakeport so act now to have a better choice on where you get to stay.

A seat in my boat goes for $150 and lunch and soft beverages will be provided. It is a great way to watch some of the best competitive anglers in the world fish in our own back yard. Kevin Van Dam, Skeet Reese, Denny Brauer, Rick Clunn.you know the names, come watch them for an 8 hour day of fishing, not a 30 minute TV show. Make arrangements now to confirm your ride to watch the best, how many chances do you get to do this?

Looking Ahead to 2010

The past several years the months of March, April, and May have been close to full bookings. I highly recommend that you start looking at your calendar and firming up your plans for next Spring. As I reported last month, there will be one less full time guide on the water in 2010 and I anticipate fully booking out my available dates in those three months between my regular clients and his past clients that he has promised to send my way. Start thinking about your travel plans and let's get your dates in the book now, either go to the web site, email me, or call me now to make sure your dates are locked in.

February, March, and April are good months for bigger fish and swim bait fishing. April, May, and June are good months for sight fishing, good numbers of fish and lots of water to cover. July, August, and September are good months for surface action. Based on the last couple of years, October and November provide some hot live bait action. Live bait is always an option although the best months are March, April, October, and November.

Quagga Update for 2010

The move will be made from a sticker to a cable tie that will be attached to the bow eye for the inspection program for 2010. This tie will be color coded for each month and good for only that month. If your boat is kept outside our area, the cable tie will have to be replaced prior to your first trip to the lake of each month. The process will be similar if not the same as is currently in place regarding the cost, the paperwork process, and businesses offering the service. It is not finalized as of today, but the plans sound pretty firm as of now. Along with the cable tie comes the requirement to inspect for each month, which means if you bring your boat here from outside the area once a month you will have to have the boat inspected each trip and pay the $10 fee each trip.

Citations have been issued by the sheriff's boat patrol for failure to comply and the fine plus the court fees total at around $460. All of the tackle shops around the lake will take care of the inspection and the sticker is $10.

If you want to make sure you are not "carrying" in your boat, keep a gallon of bleach around and dump a cup full into your bilge and live wells. Also put a light solution of bleach in a standard garden sprayer and spray the parts of your boat trailer that get wet when launching your boat. The bottom line is a dry bilge, dry live wells, and dry bunks on the trailer should get you through the inspection.

Fishing Licenses 2010

Don't forget that you can purchase your new fishing license on line now from the Fish and Game web site. You can do it from the comfort of your chair now and have it mailed to you for the 1st of January. The price of the new basic license is $41.50.

I was checked while fishing in November and December which makes 5 times that I was checked this year. Don't take a chance be legal.

Gift Certificates

Just a reminder that we do offer gift certificates that can be for a complete trip or can be used against the price of a complete trip. If you are interested, just drop us a line or give me a call.

Closing

For a lot of folks and businesses, 2009 was a year that was a real bear. We went in to the year with a lot of questions and concerns as many of you did. We looked at the bass fishing forums from time to time and continued to see guys reporting that their hours were cut back or that they had been laid off.

We got through it thanks to your support. We will continue to work hard to serve our clients and give them the best possible day on the water that we can. To some, success is measured by the size of the fish, for others it is the number of fish, and still others just like a day of good weather with no phones, computers, good companionship, and a fish every once in a while to interrupt the relaxation. To us, success is a happy client!

To our loyal clients and friends, my wife Deb and I both thank you for your continued support. To our new clients, welcome and we look forward to building a long term relationship.

Miss an Issue of the Clear Lake Report?

We have archived all of our past Clear Lake Report Issues on our Clear Lake Fishing Guide Service website! Go to our Clear Lake Fishing Report Index!

There is a lot of useful information available on the Clear Lake Website. Even insights into the best times to fish the lake and other fishing tips. Local lodging, weather, and even lake level reporting is available through the links we have set up.

Good fishing, and I look forward to seeing you soon!