Recreation

Details

Written by: Lake County News Reports

Published: 17 August 2007

 

Cooler weather and strong winds have greeted anglers at the launch ramp this week. Daytime highs have been in the 80s and water temps in the upper 70s. The winds have made it tough to get out in smaller boats, but will serve to stir up the lake adding much needed oxygen and breaking up the algae.

The fishing has toughened up a bit … Looks a lot like we’re going to settle into a fall pattern right on queue as the kids head back to school and summer wanes.

The bass have made a move for deeper water. Deep running crank baits, jigs and Carolina rigs have been the top methods of tying into some nice bass. Anglers are running in 16 to 25 feet of water and looking for submerged structure. Live bait fishermen are doing moderately well with minnows fished with a split shot two to three feet up the line. Let the minnow run where it wants without a bobber.

Crappie anglers are reporting that it has become more difficult to locate the schools. Some folks have continued to have success in the Luebow Point and Jago Bay areas as well as over at Konocti Harbor Resort. The action at Four Poles seems to have dropped off substantially. For the very best action you must be on the water at daybreak. Minnows are strongly favored over crappie jigs. Panfish Assassins in a few of the key colors (crystal shad, chartreuse shad and gold pepper shiner) are still selling as well.

Anglers seeking catfish are likely the happiest folks on the lake. Catfish continue to be caught from 2 to 20 pounds (and bigger) all over the southern end of the lake. From Pirates Cove down to Indian Island and right on into the residential areas of Cache Creek anglers have reported good success on mackerel. Clams, nightcrawlers and anchovies are all runners up in the top bait category.

And now for something special … A camera phone picture of some nice trout caught in the North Fork of Cache Creek tells the story well. Customer Anthony and a friend fished the eddies near Spring Valley for a little over an hour to catch four trout to 20 inches. Anthony used nightcrawlers with several split shot above to drift the bait into the calmer waters. He added that the current is still very strong as they continue to flow water out of Indian Valley Reservoir.

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: Editor

Published: 14 August 2007

LOWER LAKE – The Lake County Public Services Department's Parks and Recreation Division Advisory Board will meet at 3 p.m. today, Wednesday, Aug. 15, at the Lower Lake Museum, 16435 Morgan Valley Road.

Items on the agenda include:

• The fiscal year 2007-08 budget.

• Nice Park on Hammond Avenue and master plan development.

• Nylander Park improvements schedule.

• Riviera school property park development status.

• Hinman Park improvements in Nice.

• Alpine Park improvements in Lucerne.

• Hartman Road Park update, Middletown.

• Playground equipment installation; Lucerne Harbor, Hammond Avenue and Nylander Parks are scheduled for fall, with Hinman park scheduled for spring of 2008.

• Proposed water park update.

• New position recruitment status: Park maintenance worker and extra help ranger positions.

• Update and review “No Alcohol in County Parks” ordinance that sunsets Dec. 8.

• Update from Joel Witherell on Black Forest fire prevention project.

• Discussion requested by Board Member Witherell on Community Task Forces, “Creation, Management, Care and Feeding.”

• Review and discussion of the North Ridgeline Trail Grant Application submitted to the National Parks Service.

The group is next scheduled to meet on Nov. 14.

For more information contact the Public Services Division, 262-1618.

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Details

Written by: Lake County News Reports

Published: 09 August 2007

The minor cold front we’ve experienced this week has shifted things around the past few days. Anglers are resorting to “junk fishing,” that is, fishing nearly everything we’ve talked about over the last few weeks for shorter periods of time before switching up. More on that in a moment …

The weather has been much more favorable for the angler as daytime highs are in the low to mid 90s. (Yep, for us folks that live here that’s a considerable summer time cool down from the 105+ mark.)

OK bass fishermen, ready your tackle boxes. You’ll need it all to keep the bite going throughout the day. Jigs, Senkos, spinner baits, top water lures, drop shot rigs – keep ‘em all handy. To be successful this week you’ll need to be willing to change up frequently. Most anglers have reported that the bass are biting well as long as the constantly offered them something new. You can switch back, but you’ll have to keep it fresh.

Crappie fishermen are still enjoying a reasonable (unseasonably) good bite. The Four Poles have cooled off a bit, Konocti is still kicking out a nice mixed bag of crappie, bass and catfish. The real news is that the deeper standing docks over along Luebow Point, Jago Bay and Baylis have produced some quality crappie action. The preference appears to be on minnows but they’re taking Panfish Assassin jigs in Crystal Shad color as well.

We’re getting plenty of reports of smaller (2-8 pound) catfish being caught all over the lake. Clams, nightcrawlers and mackerel have been our best sellers lately. Austin Park is a popular shore angling spot. Boaters have enjoyed catching cats from Indian Island & Bass Alley, to Monitor Point and Island, right on out to Konocti Bay and up to Windflower Point.

Our next CatFest event is on Aug.t 25th. We’ll be meeting here around 4 in the afternoon, gathering for a raffle right before closing time and heading down to the launch ramp right around 5:15 pm. The plan is to fish together on our boats until around 11 p.m. Some folks will come in then and others may move off on their own at the point. Come join us!

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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