Clear Lake Conditions

Lake level stands today at 2.2 about a foot and a half higher than last year at this time and a little over three quarters of a foot over the historical average. Dam releases are 8.3 cfs.

Water clarity is showing the typical fall improvement brought about by falling water, weed filtering, and cooler nights. Some areas between Jago Bay and Konocti Harbor have 5 to 6 feet of visibility but around most of the lake it is 3 to 4 feet. Surface temperature is pretty much in the low 70‘s although I have seen some high 60‘s at the launch in the morning.

Algae is pretty much gone and the weeds are fairly thick in along the Western shoreline of Lakeport and the North shore along the towns of Nice and Lucerne.

Activity This Month

Tournament activity this month borders on the ridiculous. Let’s just say that every weekend from this point out is shot. This weekend is the Triton owners event with about 125 teams and the following two weekends are filled by team T.O.C.‘s for Anglers Choice and ABA that will have as many as 180 teams expected to compete.

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.

September Fishing Recap

The bite really never improved over the summer. My beloved top water action was down to a couple of fish reward for a day of work. We did get away from the deep bite and moved shallower which is starting to pay dividends. The good news is that as we got towards the end of month the numbers were coming up slightly and the size was improving. The last couple of days on the water provided decent action being able to at least put limits of fish together and more 4 pounders showing up.

October Prediction

Conditions are setting up for three primary bites for October. Rattle baits, rip baits, and swim baits are the 3 main presentations for the artificials crowd. Look for better weights to come out of the upper end of the lake this month as the fish are putting on the feed bag in preparation for the winter.

Bass are concentrating on juvenile bass, crappie, and bluegill right now and that will continue through the fall.

While we are seeing some better weights come from tournament results they really are not indicative of a different class of fish. The fish that were making up the 16 to 18 pound limits of the past months have had a steady diet and are now pushing limits into the 18 to 21 pound range.

Look for the annual fall shiner bite to begin kicking into full gear here too. I have done one trip already (for 12 fish to 5.5 pounds) and a couple of scouting days and feel pretty good about the prospects for the next couple of months with live bait. There are still some good opportunities to get out and catch some fish if you can fish during the middle of the week and while the numbers may be down from falls of past, the size isn't.

A pair of spook and rattle bait fish that got fooled this week, one just short of 5 and the other just short of 6.

While we weren't catching a bunch of them we were getting some nice ones from time to time. Tom Purcell of Nevada with a fish that my picture does not do justice to...it was on the Boga for a reason, 8 pounds on the nose. This fish was almost square!

Hit the Bottom

I am really encouraged by the huge numbers of juvenile bass that I see around the lake. You can pull into shallow water all over the lake and see little schools of bass in the 3 to 6 inch range. We had a great spawn this year and the higher water gave the little guys plenty of cover in which to hide. In my view, 2010 was the bottom of the valley and now we are going to see the fishery come back over the next couple of years.

Changes Coming

To those of you who look forward to and enjoy this newsletter, thanks! I have battled all types of issues getting this out each month and remain committed keeping you informed. Look for changes to take place with regard to some of the features as I move forward. If there is something you would like me to cover, drop me a line and let me know.

Closing

Thank you for your continued interest and support of Clear Lake Guide Service! Our business continues to grow with the help of you and your spreading the word and my wife Deb and I both thank you. Good fishing and keep a tight line.

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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!