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Written by: Lake County News Reports

Published: 21 November 2007

Created: 21 November 2007

Last Updated: 21 November 2007

Bobby Dedner shows off his big catch. Courtesy photo.

A few pictures could tell most of the story … We’ve got a good many reasons to be thankful for Thanksgiving.

First, we live in a community that has an astounding natural lake teaming with wonderful game fish. Crappie anglers are reporting in with limits of fish, bass anglers are enjoying a great minnow bite, and the catfishermen are busy too. The surface temp of our lake is running in the upper 50s. The shad are back and minnows will get you bit by just about everything.

First, let me add in here that this is the kind of report that most guys think is just inflated stories created to push more bait. Not so. If you’ve been reading our reports for a while, you know that the quality of the bite varies and we tell it like it is. But even so, a half dozen or so pictures really illustrate our point … Now’s the time to come and fish Clear Lake!

Been waiting for the crappie bite to kick in? It has. The shoreline along Highway 20 from Clearlake Oaks through Glenhaven on up to Kono Tayee has been producing quality limits of fish for anglers in boats and on the shore alike. Shag Rock turned on. Konocti Harbor Resort is picking up a crappie bite. Jones Bay and Jago Bay have both seen crappie.

Live minnows are excellent bait when fished either behind a split shot or under a sliding bobber. Panfish Assassin and Fin-S Shad lures have been good as have the traditional mini-jigs. Colors have ranged from pink and white to chartreuse to all white. Depths for the crappie have ranged from 4 feet to 25 feet. Most reports from boaters have the schools of crappie following the shad. Find a concentration of shad and you’ll bust crappie and bass on minnows on nearly every cast.

That’s our transition to the bass bite, too. I’ve had a couple of super reports from anglers fishing with fishing guides Bob Myskey (Bassin’ with Bob) and Dave Gilbert (Hook Setter Fishing) this week. What’s a super report you ask? How are 80 to 100 fish days sounding to you? The word is that these fellows are fishing with live bait and just hammering bass in the 2- to 4-pound range with big bass stretching to 9+ pounds.

You need minnows, and lots of ‘em. Fish them 3 or 4 feet behind a number five split shot. Most of the top bass action has been from Shag Rock and south. The locations are too numerous to list … Drop by and we’ll give you an up to the minute run down on our counter-top map. I love reports like this …

OK, catfishermen, this is where you should tune in. Live minnows or cut bait have been doing the trick for most. From pan-size to super-sized the catfish are abundant in the south end of the lake. Come join us on Saturday, Nov. 22 for our CatFest event.

We’ll be assembling here at the bait shop around 4 p.m. for a barbecue. (And probably a tall fish tale or two.) We’re asking for a $3 donation for the eats. We’ll hit the launch ramp at Redbud Park around 6 p.m. and head for our first fishin’ hole. Slowest boat leads the flotilla and we’ll fish as a group. Plan to be back in at the ramps by 11 p.m. We’re running a “Biggest Cat” pool with a $5 entry fee. Since we’re all fishing together it shouldn’t be hard to tell who has the biggest fish at the end of the night …

Be sure to drop by the shop and take advantage of some great sale items, end-of-year specials and closeouts. We’re marking down great stuff throughout the store from tackle and lures to firearms. Christmas is just around the corner and we can help you find that perfect gift for the fishing or firearms enthusiast on your list. (Heck, that might even be you!)

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Lakeshore Bait & Tackle in Clearlake – Bob, Jerry, Vern and Clint.

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

Lakeshore Bait & Tackle customers show off their catches. Photos courtesy of Bob Rider.

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