Who likes the wind, anyway? Nobody! You see, the fishing has been good. Actually, the fishing has been great. But today, the wind was back to chap our lips and generally make the fishing more difficult. The water temperature was 75 degrees with air temps in the high 90s.

The bass report involves the use of soft plastics such as Senkos, finesse worms and top water lures. The best bite of the day is happening at first light and lasts until the middle of the morning. The remainder of the day can be good if the recent onset of the wind doesn’t keep you from fishing in a slow, consistent, methodical manner.

The live minnow folks are enjoying a steady bite. For all the methods discussed, fish the top 10 feet of water first then turn around and fish the other side of the boat (out toward deeper water) when the shallow water bite slows down.

A surprising spike in the crappie bite has occurred over the last two days. We’re again hearing of folks catching 10 and 20 crappie in an outing. The Four Poles and Konocti Harbor have both suddenly turned on for a few hours in the morning and again in the late evening hours. Minnows and mini-jigs are the usual fare and both seem to be working. If you’ve been in need of a crappie fix, it’s time to jump back in the boat and give it a go.

The catfish reports have tended to indicate a slower bite all around. We’ve seen a few nice fish throughout the week, but most folks are fishing not catching. Stick with what you know works – mackerel or minnows, shrimp or clams, nightcrawlers or shad. I like three-way swivel or sliding sinker rigs when I’m drifting. Surf/Pier leaders work well when shore fishing.

Bob Rider owns Lakeshore Bait & Tackle in Clearlake. Visit his Web site at www.994fish.com or call him at 994-FISH (3474).

{mos_sb_discuss:2}