LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – I finally got out on the water for a relaxing evening of fishing last Tuesday.

We launched out of the casino and were concerned about the algae plugging the engines cooling system but then soon found is was just a light layer on the surface.

The lowering water has allowed the weeds to get closer to the surface and twice we had to rapid reverse before getting out to open water.

We fished south of Clear Lake State Park and north of The Narrows in 25 to 40 feet of water. We tried a combination of blades, jigs, Senkos and Brush Hogs. My only two fish came on a dark colored jig.

We got on the water by 8:15 p.m. and fished until 2 a.m. We each caught two fish and they were caught before 10 p.m. then the bit just turned off.

The wind lied down and the algae appeared. I’ve never seen this much algae so late in the year on a cool night. It wasn’t sinking to the bottom at night any longer. It stunk and made the evening less pleasant, but it was still good to get out.

I think both fish of mine were over 5 pounds. We took a photo of the largest only to find after we released him I’d forgotten to put the card back in the camera – the equivalent of no film with no internal memory. The second smaller fish I was able to capture on my iPhone before her release.

As the weather cools and the bass try to fatten up for the long cold winter and next years spawn, the bite will get better as it does each year.

A big thank you goes out to all the firefighters who’ve been working so hard this season in our area.

Ted Elliott, E Ticket Tackle, Lakeport; telephone, 707-262-1233

Bass fishing around the lake has been the typical. One day an area holds bass; the next they have moved on pattern.

With all the baitfish out in the lake the bass are just following them around and gorging themselves.

There is still a top water bite during the early morning using Buzz baits, spooks, poppers, Ricos and frogs according to patrons of our shop. They have been searching for baitfish up on the surface and then throwing some type of top water lure in amongst the bait fish and are this is producing bites.

After about 9 a.m. the bite goes to a deep LV 500, DD22 crank bait bite yo-yo off the bottom. Fishing the rockpiles down in the Clear Lake Oaks and Redbud arms of the lake has also been producing some fine fish.

River2sea S-wavers have been producing in areas where the weeds have died down to about 20 inches below the water surface.

The swim-bait bite should start to pick up in the next couple of weeks as the weeds continue to die. Additionally, the spoon bite has shown signs of waking up in the deeper parts of the lake.

Catfish

The more productive bite has been the catfish bite. Several of the fire personnel that have been fighting the fires around lake county have been coming in and renting poles to fish off the shore while they are off duty.

We have had several of them connect with catfish ranging from 8 pounds, 14 ounces to well over 10 pounds. They have been fishing from the shore and the docks of the hotels/motels that they have been staying in using a drop shot rig baited with a night crawler.
 
Bluegill crappie

Indian Beach Resort in Glenhaven has reported crappie, bluegill and bass under their docks, but not many fish being landed. Fishing has been considered good at both sites with limits being common.

Troy Bellah and Dave Brabec, Clearlake Outdoors, Lakeport; telephone, 707-262-5852

The bass fishing on Clear Lake remains fair this week with very little change as far as lures and patterns go.

Dropping water levels and late summer algae blooms have plagued the north end making it a bit tricky to locate the fish.

The south end seems to be producing a more consistent bite with fish being caught between 5 and 25 feet deep on rock piles, docks and the shorelines with a steep drop off.

The No. 1 selling lure at the shop right now is the Lucky Craft LV500 in any of the shad patterns. Fisherman have been using this lure with a YO-YO style retrieve off the bottom and catching some quality fish on it.

The frog bite is going pretty good right now too. Look for tules that have a little weed mat shelf next to them, throw your frog on the mat, give it a couple twitches and let it sit.  

I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but the best advice I could give any angler right now is to stay on the move until you locate the fish.

Greg Cornish lives in Nice, Calif. Email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .