Recreation
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- Written by: Editor
CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK – Visitors continue to be thrilled with the abundant bird life in this Important Bird Area, one of four designated areas in Lake County.
To have more fun with watching birds and to make identification easier, attend the third in a series of interactive slide presentations, on Saturday, June 7 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the park visitor center auditorium.
Docent Leona Butts will include common, not-so-common and why an exotic in Lake County in Joy of Birding III.
For a special outdoor experience, join docent Walt Lyon for the Indian Nature Trail Walk on Sunday, June 8 at 8:30 a.m. Meet Lyon, a lifetime Lake County resident, at the entrance kiosk (not at the visitor center ramp), of the park for a walk on the side of an ancient lava flow.
The trail commences a short distance from the entrance to the park. A trail for all seasons, Lyon will explain the many uses of shrubs and plants, such as the mulberry and the wavy leaf soap plant, and why the area was so important to our Native Americans. And, of course, you will be able to observe a few Western fence lizards and the birds should be singing during the early morning hours.
Saturday programs will continue in the auditorium through June. The next trail walk is scheduled from the visitor center ramp on June 22 with retired ranger Val Nixon.
Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The bass are in a funk. Some are deep – as deep as 25 feet. Some are shallow – as shallow as 2 feet. The reports are varied from “caught a bunch” to “caught one or two.” The water is as clear as we’ve seen it, and it is clear down to 10 or 12 feet. I’m getting spotty reports of a top water bite on frogs and poppers. We’re experimenting with the Seismic Frogs – these things look GREAT. Spinner baits, Senkos, and drop shot rigs are top movers for us.
The crappie are dark, dark, dark and down deep in about 20 feet of water. Some nice slabs have been taken near the Boat Works and Four Poles areas. White or Chartreuse jigs or live minnows get the nod this week.
We’re getting a lot of calls about bluegill these days … But we’re not really hearing about a good bite. We’ve heard tell of some activity where the silverside minnows have been spotted – in areas around the south part of the lake.
The cats are still prowling Cache Creek. Mackerel and shrimp are tops for the wily whiskerfish. Folks fishing the main body of the lake are doing all that well from the public shore spots. A few of the smaller resorts down Lakeshore Drive (down towards Clearlake Park) have seen some good activity.
Overall, your best bet is to call and see what’s happening right before you come up. Things have been changing almost on a daily basis this week …
Bob Rider owns Lakeshore Bait & Tackle in Clearlake. Visit his Web site at www.994fish.com or call him at 994-FISH (3474).
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- Details
- Written by: Betty Strach
There were 133 alcohol use-related boating fatalities in 2006 (the latest statistics available). In California in 2007, the California Department of Boating and Waterways reported 1,800 alcohol-related boating accidents.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in Lake County is asking all boat owners and operators to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage and health care costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers.
Essential steps include always wearing a life jacket and requiring passengers to do the same; never boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol; complete a boating safety course; and get a free vessel safety check annually from the local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Vessel Examiners.
Eight of 10 boat operators have never taken a boating class. If asked, the typical boat operator will respond to the question of their taking a boating class with: a) My dad always had a boat; b) I’ve been boating for years; c) I’m only going fishing; or d) I don’t take my boat out of the county.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in Lake County reminds all boaters, "You're in Command. Boat Responsibly!”
The USCG Auxiliary is offering America’s Boating Course, a Coast Guard approved boating safety course. The next three classes are June 21 and July 19.
Please call Betty Strach for details, 928-9811 or 245-3136.
Betty Strach is staff officer for public education for Lake County's Flotilla 8-8.
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- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Boats are the primary transporters of the aquatic species and recreationalists should take special care to properly clean, drain and dry vessels.
“Invasive mussels pose a serious threat to our water systems and recreational facilities,” said California Secretary for Resources Mike Chrisman. “Over the Memorial Day holiday and throughout this boating season we ask for the assistance of water users to prevent the spread of quagga and zebra mussels in California.”
The task force – comprised of California’s Department of Fish and Game, Department of Water Resources, Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of Boating and Waterways – urges boaters to take action to protect the state’s many water bodies from quagga and zebra mussel infestation.
Invasive aquatic mussels are primarily transported by watercrafts and boaters should follow these steps to inhibit their spread:
Inspect all exposed surfaces: Small mussels feel like sandpaper to the touch.
Wash the hull of each watercraft thoroughly, preferably with high-pressure hot water.
Remove all plants and animal material.
Drain all water and dry all areas.
Drain and dry the lower outboard unit.
Clean and dry all live-wells.
Empty and dry any buckets.
Properly dispose of all bait.
Wait five days and keep watercraft dry between launches into different fresh waters.
These steps are designed to thwart spread of the invasive mussels, safeguard boats and preserve high-quality fisheries.
Quagga mussels were first detected in the Great Lakes in 1989, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to water delivery systems. They were first detected in the Colorado River system in January 2007 and were later found in San Diego and Riverside counties by state and local water agencies. Zebra mussels were discovered in San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County in January.
Thus far, no quagga or zebra mussels have been found in the State Water Project, which is closely monitored for these species by environmental scientists.
Both species of mussel are non-native aquatic mollusks that wreak havoc on the environment by disrupting the natural food chain and releasing toxins that affect other aquatic species. Although they range in size from microscopic to the size of a fingernail, they are prolific and attach themselves to hard and soft surfaces.
In addition to devastating the natural environment, quagga and zebra mussels pose a dramatic economic threat to California. The mussels can colonize on hulls, engines and steering components of boats, other recreational equipment, and can damage boat motors and restrict cooling. The invasive species also attach to aquatic plants, and submerged sediment and surfaces such as piers, pilings, water intakes, and fish screens. In doing this, water intake structures can be clogged, hampering the flow of water. The mussels frequently settle in massive colonies that can block water intake and threaten municipal water supply, agricultural irrigation and power plant operations.
Zebra mussels inhabit water depths from four to 180 feet, while quaggas can reach depths more than 400 feet. Both mollusks can attach to and damage boat trailers, cooling systems, boat hulls and steering equipment. Mussels attached to watercraft or trailers can be transported and spread to other water bodies. Water in boat engines, bilges, live wells and buckets can carry mussel larvae (called veligers) to other water bodies as well.
The task force is currently working to determine the extent of the quagga and zebra mussel threat and to educate watercraft users and water managers about what they can do to help.
As part of the public education effort, the state has facilitated nearly a dozen quagga/zebra inspection and decontamination trainings for more than 350 individuals in Lake County, San Diego, Redding, Fresno, Stockton, Monterey, Los Alamitos, Ontario, Sacramento and Yountville.
To date, the task force has distributed more than 1.75 million information cards and 1.2 million letters to registered boaters and other water users around the state about the quagga and zebra mussel danger.
A public toll-free hotline – 1-866-440-9530 – has also been established for information about destructive Quagga and Zebra mussels. The toll-free number is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information on the quagga/zebra mussel response, please visit the DFG Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel.
For information about Lake County's prevention programs, visit www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/DepartmentDirectory/Water_Resources/Mussel_Prevention.htm.
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