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Written by: Greg Cornish

Published: 23 July 2012

Here’s this week’s fishing reports from the best.

Hopefully, We'll get a South Arm representative to contribute soon. If not we'll get reports from another source.

Enjoy – good catching and keep your lines tight.

Clearlake Oaks Arm Report

Bob Higgins, Limit Out Tackle, Clearlake Oaks; 707-998-1006

In Clearlake Oaks Higgins says the catfish bite is off-the-hook wonderful. The catfish bite is the best he's seen in 15 years. Catfish baits are just about anything standard, mackerel, chicken livers, night crawlers and frozen baits.

He said weed growth is a problem this year but you can find bass around the deeper docks. Also try rocky areas at the backside of Rattlesnake Island.

There is nothing going on in the crappie and bluegill bite. If you want bass and you are from out of town and do not know the area well, the Clearlake Oaks Arms by Rattlesnake Island has many rock piles. If you cruise around slowly you can graph them.

Once you find the rock piles, throw a jig and pig, drop shot with Robo worms or a Brush Hawg. If you want to accidentally catch a catfish coat it with some smelly jelly.

My friend, who's a part of the Vampire Armada – those who fish at night – can attest he caught two catfish over 10 pounds while fishing for bass with smelly jelly coated jig and Brush Hawg.

North End Report

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

The bite has slowed down considerably this last week. Between the freak low pressure system that moved through on Tuesday and Wednesday and the aquatic plant growth that has exploded this past week, fishing up at the Lakeport end of the lake has been tough.

There has been an explosion of a filamentous algae that has attached itself to the sago pondweed that normally invades the lake at this time of year. This algae is very sticky – sticking to lures, boats, engines, you name it.

One of the biggest problem that we hear at the shop is the overheating of boats because the water intake become clogged with this algae. So be sure to clear your intake often in order to prevent this problem. The aquatic weed problems seem to be mostly on the north end of the lake.

There are still fish being caught using drop shot fished around docks with the docks around the Nice, Lucerne, Henderson Point and Shag rock areas being the most productive, depending on wind and weather conditions.

Brown blue jigs rigged with a Paca Craw trailer fished through the weeds have been productive for several fisherman. The key is to keep moving, looking for clear water and until fish are located and then fishing that area.

Since the weather change earlier this week, the top water action has slowed. Fisherman are still producing using plastic frogs and horny toads fished along the weed mats either early morning or the last hour or so before sunset.

The catfish bite is still good using night crawlers, cut bait or chicken livers. As far as blue gills and crappie there is not much of a bite reported by customers of our shop.

Troy Bella, Clearlake Outdoors, Clearlake; 707-262-5852

Clearlake bite is a little tricky right now with all the on and offshore weed growth having the fish spread out in vast areas.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of baitfish present right now, so the primary forage seems to be crawdads and sculpin. You will occasionally see the bass chasing and busting on fry from this year’s spawn in the weed mats.

The trick to being successful right now is finding the weed mats that are holding the fish. I have recently caught some nice fish in the mats both close to shore and some about a quarter mile offshore, so you have to do your homework to find them.

Some of the more productive methods in the north end have been double- and single-bladed buzz baits  black skirt and blades at dusk and dawn, white blades and skirts during the day).

There has been some nice fish caught on super spooks and the 6-inch G2 Lunker Punker in open water areas between the mats.

The frog bite seems spotty at best, one day they are choking it, and the next day they won't touch it (should get better as the summer progresses). It seems like some days they are eating a solid body frog better than a hollow body, and some days, visa versa.

The jig, Senko and drop shot bite seems to be holding pretty consistent with craw like colors working the best. Some of the bigger fish have been caught on the 6-inch Trash Fish in the LC Hitch color being fished offshore where the the weed growth is more sporadic.

I feel the best bite going right now (in my opinion) is the punch bite. We have been punching the mats using a three-quarter ounce to one and one-quarter ounce tungsten weight pegged down with a Paycheck punch skirt and a Deaver or D Bomb on a 3/0 or 4/0 punch hook. Mid day the fish are holding under the thickest, nastiest mats you can find.

Highland Springs Reservoir

Dave Brabec, Clearlake Outdoors, Lakeport; 707-262-5852

There have been big bass taken out of Highland Springs lately. We're talking 6 to 7 pounds and double digits. The weeds are around the edges and the middle is open.  

Highland Springs is not open to gas engines but is great for tubers and kayakers. Buzz baits in the morning and evening. Senkos tossed in the tules and weeds work during the day.

If you want to put the kids on fish Highland Springs is one of the few spots great for bluegill.

Look at last week's report for trout: http://bit.ly/Mupbao . It remains the same.

Email Greg Cornish at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.