Current Conditions

Clear Lake is currently sitting at about 2.5 feet Rumsey! For all practical purpose, our rainfall year is done. A full lake is 7.5 feet Rumsey, so we start the remainder of the year 5 feet short. Yolo county will not be able to pull any water this year by decree. In a normal year the lake experiences 3 feet of evaporation so we will experience a negative water level this fall.

Water clarity is not very good on the upper end, better in the deeper arms of the lake. One fact that became very apparent early on was the shallows heating up quickly prompted suspended algae blooms that made seeing bottom in bedding areas tough. Water temperature was holding in the high 60’s until this week’s weather brought about 59 degrees on my gauge this week. That will turn around quickly as the weather ahead looks good.

The Bite

I have not really done much live bait fishing this Spring as the artificials have been producing well. Averaging around 10 fish per rod, with as high as a single landing 30, it has been a good Spring. Most are coming on plastics as after all, they are spawning!

We have experienced a couple of good days on the bigger baits, a couple of real stinkers on the bigger baits, a pretty good afternoon on frogs, and some fish on rattlebaits. Kind of a weird mix, junk fishing 101 sometimes due to the weather conditions, sometimes due to heavy pressure in small areas, every day is different.

On Face Book

In trying to give a little more results in a more timely fashion we have set up our Facebook page for those of you who dink around with it. It was useful when we were keeping track of the lack of rain and documenting the lack of water in Kelsey and Adobe creeks. While I don’t get the opportunity to post after each trip, you will see a posting and pic every time a client lands a fish 5 pounds or better. I don’t believe in keeping fish in the live well for the sake of the group hold pic as it is not good for the fish and no need. Too many times I see those fish being dropped and flopping all over a dry carpet...sorry, a bit of preaching. Anyway, check us out to see how our trips are going, the post is usually for that day, can’t get a whole lot more up to date.

How Low Can it Go?

It has been decades since the lake came out of the rain season as low as it currently sits. I have done my best to answer a bunch of questions about it but I have never seen this so it is all a guess on my part.

From what I hear and have been lead to believe, the three main public launching facilities, Redbud, Clearlake Oakes, and Lakeport will remain usable. More than likely the Konocti Vista Casino ramp will remain usable, the question will be the depth of the exit to the lake. Not sure about Lucerne, the State Park, and Braito’s. To my way of thinking the State Park may be usable without enough depth to get to the lake.

The weeds will be another story. Look for them to get the opportunity to extend even farther out into the lake. Also, there will probably be far fewer areas where we will be able to get between the weeds and the shoreline, dang it.

Rodman Slough, only in play around the bridge and up to the first slough breaking off to the right. Past that a sand bar has pretty much blocked off passage.

It has created a new learning experience on this old lake. Fish will still spawn. The fall tournaments can still take place. The local marine dealers have already added lower units to their inventory. All in all, life will still go on.

Bookings for 2014

2014 has been smoking!, thanks to everyone from Japan, New York, New Jersey, South Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvannia, and all kind of places in between.

May has some good dates still available and should be a good month, it always is. If you have not done so, better start thinking about nailing down a date before yours goes to someone else! You could be holding up one of these fish next month!

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, stay in touch, and keep a tight line.

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!