Wow, time has flown by, been one of my busier years. Currently fishing/catching can only be rated as fantastic with customers being able to catch well over 40 fish up to 60 and 70 on some trips. Most of the fish that are being caught are in the one to three pound range but we are also landing some in the 6lb range. Almost anything is working to catch fish right now, it mainly depends on how you like to fish, whether or not you use spinning gear only, and or bait caster type reels. The most popular technique right now for most people working the lake is a drop shot rig with a Robo style worm rigged about 12 inches up and rigged either Texas rigged which is weedless or the popular wacky style with the bait rigged in the center. A whole variety of other techniques such as a shad colored spinner bait, shallow and deep diving crank baits, Jig's with crawdad type trailers and colors such as browns and reds, carolina rigged set ups with a baby brush hog in the watermelon candy color, and then there is "top water baits". Walking baits such as a zara spook, popper style baits such as a full size Rico, artificial frogs, all are working but you have to put in your time and cover water and don't expect it to be easy. The lake is currently 5.64 on its level gauge which is about 3/4 of a foot higher than last year. We are having algae blooms with all the hot weather we have been having, but the fish are biting, and the lake has plenty of areas without any excessive algae. It's a great time to get out on the lake and have a ball catching these hard fighting bass, and also a great time to bring the younger ones out and get them exposed to fishing and have some fun with all the fish that can be caught now. All the guides that I work with are also very busy, if you are thinking about booking a guide trip, plan ahead or you may be disappointed by no availability. The county has monitors at all of the boat ramps now for most of the time, they will be checking to make sure you have gotten your clearance sticker to launch your boat which is a must here at Clear Lake. I do expect this strong bite that we are currently having to continue through the summer and into September. The techniques mentioned above also will not change and will continue to work. Fish are being caught all around the lake but I have been concentrating at Mid Lake and the South arms. As the lake level continues to drop due to the annual pull down, and as the weeds get worse on the upper end of the lake, the main concentration of fisherman including myself will be in the more rocky areas and deeper water areas. That's it for now, I will post again later this summer once things change, be safe, be courteous, don't cut people off while fishing on the lake, watch your boat wakes around other boaters, treat everyone like you want to be treated and have fun. God Bless, Bob
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One thing about being busy as a guide, I don't seem to have time to keep my reports current. Since my last report, the spawn has begun, some fish have spawned, but as of this writing there are many yet to spawn. Water temps are starting out in the mid 60's and on the hotter days getting up to 70 and above. Water clarity seems to vary almost daily and also depending where you are on the lake and also with the direction of the wind. So far the reports from those sight fishing have been with mixed results, mostly small males being caught and also with the vast amount of cover, hard to find and hard to see those bedding fish. The lake level as of this writing stands at 7.72 ft which is still slightly over the full level and higher than normal for this time of the year. The shad are spawning and huge schools are being seen all around the lake, they are spawning in the tules and along the docks and walls. If you can find the bass actively feeding on them, you can load the boat pretty fast with LV's, flukes, under spins and jerkbaits and spinner baits. With all of this being said, the bass bite for the past ten days or so has been very slow and very tough at times for those using artificials and even the live bait which I have used for most of my trips has gotten tougher. Once the spawn cycle gets somewhat completed, the fish will need to feed up from the rigors of the spawn and the bite should get much better. The drop shot and wacky rigged senko's should come into play much stronger than the current bite. When the bass are trying to spawn, the bite is always tougher because they are not interested in eating. With the higher water levels and the inconsistent weather patterns we have had, this has all combined to make the tough bite we are now experiencing. For those who may think the spawn is done, several of the bigger fish my customers caught this past week showed no signs of spawning. The crappie bite has slowed down, but if you are persistent and cover water, you can still find them. Lot's of bait, lot's of water, lot's of crappie, lot's of blue gill and lot's of bass in the 1 to 2 lb with a lot of big bass caught early this year should make for a great season. Stay Safe, be courteous, practice catch and release, God Bless, Bob
Wow, This month has flown by and I have been really busy. Clear Lake is back to normal, flood restrictions are no longer in effect, all launch ramps are open, normal speed controls are in place which is five mile per hour anywhere within 400 feet of the shoreline. Fishing has been great, catching numbers seems to be no problem and the recent tournament results have seen numerous fish over ten pounds being weighed in. Currently the water temperature is starting out around 53 to 54 degrees and with the predicted warmer daytime temperatures in this up coming week, should climb up to around the 60 degree mark. The fish are moving into the shallows and I would expect that we will see them on the beds within these next two upcoming weeks provided we do not have real cold spells that drops the water temperature. The lake has been really busy with fisherman, even on weekdays we are finding quite a few boats out on the lake. All of the guides are really busy and if you plan on hiring a guide, book early, at least a month out is recommended. A whole variety of baits are now working, jerk or rip baits, swim baits in all kinds and sizes are being thrown but the kitech brand seems to be the most popular. Shakey head jigs, drop shot worms, under spins with a small swim trailer, and with the fish moving shallow, the senko will be a sure bet to use. Keep in mind that all the big fish this time of the year are probably females and they have eggs in them and they need to spawn. Practice catch and release and don't stress the fish out by carrying them around in the livewell, weigh, picture, and release. It's a busy lake, be courteous, don't cut your fellow fisherman off, and watch your own boat wake around other fisherman. God Bless, Bob
In my last report I said the lake would not be opened until it dropped below the 9foot flood stage level. """That"" has changed, they have re opened the lake even though it is now at 9.66 feet. All boats must maintain a idle speed only with no wake within 400 feet of the shoreline. All of the public ramps are still closed as of this writing but that can change daily as the lake drops. The casino ramp at the Konocti Vista Casino is where everyone is currently launching. We do have two big tournaments hitting the lake on the 11th and on the 18th and 19th. All fisherman need to exercise caution and wear life jackets due to the debris in the lake and be ""VERY MINDFUL and follow the IDLE ONLY rule within 400 feet of the shoreline. Be sure to check in with the local tackle stores for any ramps that may be open or any changes due to pending storms, etc. God Bless, Bob 3/9/16 UPDATE TO MY POST, The idle only no wake zone is actually 1/4 mile off shore, be sure to follow this.
Mother nature has dealt us a pretty good blow this year, we prayed for rain and we got it, unfortunately we got more than we wanted. I have not guided at all this year and have cancelled several trips due to storms, rain, wind and now high water. The Lake was officially closed to boating on 2/14 due to dangerous conditions and flooded homes. Official flood stage is 9ft for this lake and of this posting, we are right at the 10ft mark and probably will go higher with the storm that is hitting today and tonight. Currently I have cancelled trips up to March the 11th. The lake will not be opened until it drops below the 9ft flood stage mark, hopefully that will be sooner than later and the dam is releasing at a high rate everyday. For those of you who like to target crappie, they are catching them from the shoreline in some locations. The crappie fishing was fantastic last year and it will be just as good this year. I also fully expect that once we can get back on the lake and back in business, the bass fishing will also be fantastic again.. Stay tuned, call 707-349-4460, or email bob@fishclearlake.com or use my contact form on this site for any information and updates on the lake. Stay Safe, God Bless, Bob
I have been off the lake the past few weeks on purpose, getting my gear and my boat in good working order. Currently with all of the rain we have received over these past five weeks, the lake is over it's ""Full level"" and there is a mandatory five mph speed limit imposed on the lake. The lake is currently at 8.49 feet and the restriction will remain in place until the lake drops to 7.9 feet which hopefully will be within the next week or so. 2016 was one of the best years ever that I have recorded for both numbers and the size of the fish that we caught, I fully expect that 2017 will be just as good if not better. If you are planning on bringing a boat to fish here soon, call the local tackle stores to see what restrictions if any there may be in launching due to the high water. For those who have been out on the lake recently, fish are being caught on ""A"" rigs, drop shot,shakey head worms and a variety of Jerk baits. All of the guides working the lake will be pretty busy this year and with my current advanced bookings, I would advise to get your requests in early. Stay safe, wear those life jackets, God Bless, Bob
Wow, what a year 2016 has been, my wife and I just completed one year in the house we purchased last year and this next week we will celebrate our 41'st wedding anniversary. This year was consumed with a lot of projects for our new place and also with one of our busiest guide years ever. The 2016 season will go down as one of the best years ever for the 19 years we have been fishing the lake. With over 3000 fish caught and released and with more fish caught in the five to ten pound range since I have been keeping records, it has been a phenomenal year. Our lake got full this past year and with the current rain pattern and with the lake rising, it should also be full for the 2017 season. I expect with the sheer numbers of bait fish currently in the lake and with the amazing numbers we caught this year, 2017 season should be a repeat of all the great action we had this year. The 2017 season will start off with fisherman throwing a whole variety of swimbaits, A rig's, using jerk baits, lipless crank baits and now is the season for live bait, (jumbo minnows) for those who like to use them. As 2016 winds down over these next eight days, we are re grouping, enjoying the season, and getting ready for what 2017 will bring. A reminder to buy those new fishing license and if you are bringing a boat from out of the County, be sure to get it inspected and get a clearance sticker before launching. We have been blessed to have good health, love living in Lake County, and loving what we do. We close out this year by wishing all of you who fished with us over the years and to all of you who were new friends this last year, a BLESSED, Merry Christmas. God Bless, Bob & Tary
Wow, I guess it is good to be busy, it's been two months since my last report. This past year my wife and I bought a house, sold a house, moved, did improvements, carport, pavement, fence's, etc and still managed to have one of the busiest guide years yet. We have been in our new home now for exactly a year now and are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Fishing this year has been phenomenal for numbers and size, one of the best years since I have been fishing here. (18 years) You can practically use anything to catch fish, jig's, crank baits both shallow and deep runners, spinner baits, drop shot worms and baby brush hog's, almost anything except top water. The top water bite this year just hasn't materialized as it has in the past. The fish currently are in the shallows as well as the deeper areas, some big fish are being caught in one to four feet of water. October has started out with a strong bite for numbers but the bigger fish bite has seemed to drop off from a month or so back. I would expect that our current strong bite for numbers will continue into November. The lake is still dropping, we are about 1.40 at lake level, be careful in motoring around the shoreline, some rocks are just under the surface and are not marked. I damaged my prop this week on a rock that I new was there but couldn't see and forgot it about it. Keep your big engine trimmed up while working any where close to shore and don't get up on pad until you are well out into five or six feet of water. All ramps are open, water conditions are good, has been one of the best years in a long time for no bad algae blooms. In a nut shell, the best baits right now are jig's, square bill crank baits, Lipless crank baits, and drop shot worms and baby brush hogs. As we go into November the live bait action will kick in and for those who want to use live bait, the action should be good. It's been a really good year for all the guides working the lake myself included. I suggest if you know you want to book a trip with me, that you plan ahead and get your request in as early as you can. Currently I am making plans for the upcoming off season,( December, January) to update some equipment, repairs to the boat, etc, and then will be controlling my bookings to be more manageable, so book early. Hard to believe that a year has gone by in our new home, my wife and I are blessed to have good health, still best friends, still in love, and are loving life. Stay safe, be courteous, enjoy each day as if it could be your last, God Bless, Bob & Tary
Sorry, when I get busy which I really have been, I forget to keep my reports updated. Since my last report, the fishing/catching can only be rated as phenomenal. I am not sure how much longer this good bite will remain but currently it as good as it has been in many years. Catching 30 to 70 fish for an outing has been the normal now for over a month or so. Yes most of the fish are in the smaller 12 to 15 inch range, (1 to 2 lbs) but many bigger fish are also being caught. Over the past month I have had customers catch a 11.4, a ten pounder, a nine pounder, three or four eight pounders, and several others in the 5 to 7 pound range. The lake has been loaded with shad and the bass are bulking up big time on them. This all bodes well for next years as all of these smaller bass will continue to get bigger. These smaller bass are providing a lot of action and are putting up a pretty good fight on the end of the rods. The number one way these bass are being caught is with a drop shot rigged Robo worm or zoom baby brush hog. Lot's of bass are being caught on crank baits both deep divers and shallow running square billed cranks, along with jig's, & shakey heads and spinner baits. The best action seems to be mid lake, up to Monitor island, along highway 20 at the Glen haven reef and on the rocky banks down from Lucerne. Top water action has been minimal for myself and I have not had any reports of any serious action on top water. There was a good bite along long tule island with anglers pitching a frog early in the morning right to the edges of the tules as the bass were busting shad against the tules, I believe that bite has dropped way off. Many anglers who are use to punching off shore weed beds are being disappointed with the lack of weeds to be found this year. This is one of the first years that I can remember that we have not had the off shore weed beds. There will be a large tournament hitting the lake this month on the 27th and tournaments will start up again in September and will get even busier as we go into October. The bass have been keying in on the shad and as the shad moves, so do the bass. Some of my hot spots have died off due to the fact the shad is no longer there. You have to keep on the move, switch up your baits and presentations, stay versatile, as I said, many techniques are working right now. The word is out about the good bite we are having and the lake has been busy at times even during the week, there was a fish die off that hit the press a week or so back, but that has cleared up and has not effected the action at all. It was concentrated in one general area and was attributed to a lack of oxygen in that area during a very hot weather spell. That's it for now, feel free to email me at anytime for any information needed on the lake and what is happening. Stay Safe, be courteous, God Bless
Since my last report, most of the spawning has taken place although there will be fish that will continue to spawn through the rest of June and some into July. The bite overall has also changed since my last report and as I write this, the bite has turned much tougher for catching the larger fish. The main reason for this is that the fish after spawning have moved off into the deeper waters in some areas and in other areas have pulled off shore into the vast areas of off shore weed beds while others are following the huge schools of shad into the deeper water. The weed growth has exploded around the lake, especially on the upper West and North ends of the lake. The top water bite is slowly getting better and reports of Frog fish, buzz bait fish and top water popper style baits are catching fish. The smaller fish in the 12 to 15 inch range continue to be caught in big numbers all around the lake. This should bode well for next year as these fish get bigger, but is frustrating for those who are trying to catch the larger fish. Today my two customers had 34 fish for their trip but had no decent size even though they threw a whole variety of baits and covered many past successful areas. The good news is that we have a lot more water than in past years, the lake is loaded with Crappie, bluegill, and 12 to 15 inch bass, the food source is abundant, all of which will make for good fishing down the road. As the lake level drops during the summer and the shad start to die off and pull out into the deeper areas, this should concentrate the bigger fish more into the outer weed beds and the deeper rock piles and drop off's and make catching them somewhat easier. That's it for now, feel free to email me at anytime for any info needed, and or send me your own fishing report, I can always use the help, God Bless, Bob
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