Recreation
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- Written by: Editor
CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK – The Clear Lake State Park has activities planned this month that include holiday shopping and nature experiences to give visitors a break from the Christmas rush.
The park's visitor center will be open Saturday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to give the community an opportunity to receive a 25-percent discount on all gift shop merchandise, tour the museum and attend a 1:30 p.m. program by Ranger Marisa Holman.
The gift shop, staffed by volunteers, is going all out this holiday season to extend great savings to the local community. This 25-percent off sale includes an assortment of nature-oriented gifts for all members of the family. Some merchandise already discounted will be discounted by an additional 25 percent (no further discounts apply). Pricing is limited to merchandise on hand (no rain checks).
The Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association (CLSPIA) operates the gift shop, with all proceeds used to enhance the park.
Ranger Holman’s 1:30 p.m. program includes the great horned owl, a magnificent non-migratory bird of prey of our area.
She will introduce you to this owl's habits and calls. Learn how owls produce pellets and what they do to scare intruders.
This is a great family program that will be a fun time to learn about the great horned owl and other birds of prey.
Holman, a native Californian, has recently joined the staff at Clear Lake State Park and is eager to meet the community.
Sunday park walks continue in December. Join docent Glenn Smith on Dec. 14 and docent Brad Barnwell on Dec. 28. Participants are to meet at 8:30 a.m. near the visitor center ramp. These are additional opportunities to enjoy the change of seasons in the park.
There is no entrance fee to the park for participating in programs, walks or visiting the museum.
Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
One dedicated bass angler said it this way, “They’re everywhere they weren’t and nowhere they were.” I think what he means is that we’ve shifted into a winter pattern with cooler weather and cooler water.
That’s consistent with the report we had last week about the juvenile (they’re not babies anymore) bass. They’ve moved out now too. Deep docks, ledges, and rock piles will be the order of the day. So will SLOW presentations. My diehard bass guys are telling me that small swim baits fished at night, or jigs spoons and lipless cranks fished in the mornings are what is getting the job done for them.
The finesse guys love this time of year – their technique can really shine. The live bait anglers are enjoying a classic early winter or late fall bite. Not too much to be said here – we went through over 1,200 jumbo minnows during the four-day Thanksgiving weekend last week. We’re stocked back up and ready to go.
For Slab Seekers, Kono Tayee and Shag Rock have had the most attention – but you’ve got to have a boat. Konocti has been SLOW. There’s a good hole over in Jones Bay that has been producing rather well for one of my customers, but he’s on a boat also.
Here’s the good news … It was 27 degrees and socked in with fog when I got here to open the shop this morning. Colder and wetter is what brings the crappie out. I’d look for a change to take place if the cold weather takes hold for a few days. That’s pretty good news … Bring on the slabs!
There hasn’t been much movement on the catfish front. Just our regular catfish hunters doing the job with the tried and true baits. Minnows, mackerel, anchovies and shad … Drift your favorite spots nice and slow, keep warm with some hot cocoa at night, and enjoy the cool crisp night air.
Again this week, I want to highlight the Christmas in Clearlake campaign. There are many stores, including ours, that are participating in the promotion. We’ve all got some great deals going and every purchase earns you an entry into our $1,000 Chamber Bucks drawing. One lucky shopper is going to win a shopping spree right before Christmas. It might as well be you!
Stop in and see all the great stuff we’ve got – fishing, firearms, knives, survival gear and so much more. Hope to see you soon.
Bob Rider owns Lakeshore Bait and Tackle, 14913-D Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake, telephone 994-FISH (3474). Visit him online at www.994Fish.com.
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- Written by: Editor
The meetings take place at 6 p.m. at the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District meeting room, 19400 Hartmann Road.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Also, sign up dates have been established. They will be two Saturdays only, Jan. 10 and 24, 2009, time and place to be announced.
Check their Web site at www.eteamz.com/mtownll for more information. Get in the game!
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- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Bass anglers are enjoying a lively bite on jumbo minnows. The morning hours are still producing the best bite, but anglers are having success into the early part of the afternoon hours.
Fish shallow water in the morning, move to the cover of docks as the sun comes overhead, then out to the deeper water and rock piles later in the day. Look for shelves and drop offs, too.
Angler Ross Christensen made an astute observation this week – he noticed that the hundreds (perhaps thousands) of baby bass that were in shallow water lately have done a disappearing act. I believe that signals another change as we get further into our fall bite. Be it part of the maturing process or due to the colder weather, they’ve gone deeper like the larger of their kind.
Artificial lures are still a tough sell for largemouth bass. Typical lures and techniques this year are lipless cranks, jerk baits – both hard and soft, drop shot rigs and jigs. Look also to some of your smaller hand-poured swim baits.
Crappie hunters have found some nice fish at Kono Tayee and Shag Rock. Action is on-again, off-again as the schools move through the area. Find the school and you’ll find the bite. For best results go with a live minnow on 4-pound test under a slip bobber.
Pay attention to what other anglers are doing, often the school is so concentrated that one angler on the boat is on it while others, just a few feet away, are not.
Catfish are taking jumbo minnows, shad and mackerel readily these days. Drifting live bait at night has been the trick for several of my dedicated anglers. Bass Alley and Rattlesnake Island have been good producers for us.
Bob Rider owns Lakeshore Bait and Tackle, 14913-D Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake, telephone 707-994-FISH (3474). Visit him online at www.994Fish.com.
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