Bassin' With Bob - Fish for Bass on Clear Lake with Bob Myskey
  • Home
  • About Bob
    • Testimonials
  • Photos
    • Jan, Feb, March 2023
    • April, May, June 2023
    • July, Aug, Sept., 2023
    • Oct, Nov, Dec 2023
    • Photo Archives
  • About Clearlake
  • Fishing Reports
  • Rates
  • Where to Stay, etc.
  • Contact Bob

6/11/21 Fishing Report/Lake Conditions

6/11/2021

0 Comments

 
Wow,  the guide business has been crazy this year for myself and my guide friends that I work with.  I apologize for not keeping my reports up to date.  This year the lake has been extremely busy with people being tired of being cooped up this past year and with most people getting their vaccinations, people are getting out boating and fishing.   With California now going into its second straight year with low rain fall,  the lake is getting low and some ramps have closed up for being to shallow to launch a boat.  The ramps in Clear Lake,  the Oaks, and in Lakeport are all open as of now.  I am doing all of my launching out of the ramps in Lakeport.    I expect that we will be able to launch with out any problem through September.  Anyone reading this should not get overly concerned  but stay on top of the situation as it develops.   Currently the fishing has been very good for numbers, catching the bigger fish is certainly a challenge right now,  a four pounder is a really good catch at the moment.   I have been averaging over 20 fish a trip with some trips over 50.   
    The tournaments will be backing off now as they usually during the summer months but with the increased activity from everyone wanting to get away, expect a busy lake on any given weekend.  In a nut shell,  the lake is open,  it is at a low point,  you need to be careful boating anywhere close to shore to avoid un marked hazards,  fishing has to be considered very good,   some boat ramps are closed, (lucerne &, Keeling park)  others are being monitored,  (Redbud in Clear Lake) .     The top water bite is happening,  lots of weeds showing on the upper end of the lake to work a frog or buzz bait around.    It will be an interesting rest of the year for the lake and the availability  for boating,   just shoot me an email from my website or text me at 707-349-4460 if you want the straight scoop on what's happening,   God Bless 
     
0 Comments

2/9/21 Lake Conditions/Fishing Report

2/9/2021

0 Comments

 
 It looks like we are going to have a low water year since our lake is considered to be full at 7.50 feet on the scale it is measured by and we currently are at .95 feet.   That's a long way to go to get full in a short amount of time left for our rainy pattern.  Fishing will still be good,  they have to eat and there are plenty of fish in the lake.   The low water will effect where and how the fish spawn,  they will be more exposed and low water will also have an effect on more weed growth in the lake. 
   Currently the water clarity is very good in the lake and the fish are schooling up and starting to get a little more active.   Water temperature has been around 47 to a high of 51 on the warmer afternoons.   The typical arsenal of baits for this time of the year are working,  fish are being caught on reaction baits such as deep diving crankbaits,  under spins,  Alabama rigs, and lipless crank baits such as the LV 500 by Lucky craft.   On the finesse side,  the drop shot,  ned rig, and jig's are producing.    With some recent warm weather,  the lake was really busy on the weekend.   The fisherman who like to target the crappie have been hitting the lake hard and so far there seems to be only one really hot spot that everyone is concentrating on.   You have to stay on the move to have success in catching,   once you find them you can usually catch several in one area.  With the Covid thing slowly getting somewhat under control,  it looks like it will be a busy year for the lake.    If you are looking to book a guide trip,  book early,  and also the tournaments are in full swing for this year so try to fish during the week if you can to avoid all the traffic on the weekends.   That's it for now,  stay safe and stay healthy,   God Bless,   Bob 
  
0 Comments

1/6/2021 Overview of the year,  Lake Conditions & Fishing

1/6/2021

0 Comments

 
WOW, 2020 A year that none of us will ever forget, but one I personally won't keep foremost in my memory.   My wife and I have spent the last couple of months hunkered down and staying under the radar.  As we head into this new year, it's still a rocky start and we won't be back to any resemblance of normal for at least a few more months.  I am praying for stability and focus for our government leaders,  and for a quicker overall vaccination for all of us who want it.   My goals and plans for the year are set,  I expect to start getting busy in March for my business, and April bookings are already very strong.  
   On the fishing scene,  its typical January, the bass bite is slow to tough, the Crappie bite is very strong and will continue to get better and should remain good through April.   The bass bite will also continue to improve as we move into March and the pre spawn bite starts to kick in.  It looks like we will be having another low water year as the long range forecast does not look promising,  currently all the lake launching ramps are open except for the city of Lucerne. 
  As we head into this New Year,  I will be controlling my trips a little tighter, but I fully expect that things will bust loose towards the end of this year as the pandemic gets under control, businesses are allowed to re open, people can gather together, families can once more be families, schools, churches, back to normal and we can all celebrate safely.      God Bless,  Bob & Tary  
0 Comments

11/13/20 Year end report, Lake conditions, Fishing, and the year ahead

11/13/2020

0 Comments

 
      To say it's been an interesting year is a vast under statement.   Covid 19 has changed the world forever, throw in a year of protests of all sorts, devastating fires, a presidential election with a new president,  and the virus going stronger than ever, and predicted to get even worse,  2021 will be a challenging year for sure.   With all that being said, I am currently taking bookings for 2021, several of my regular customers have already made their plans for next year.  I expect to be selective in my trips and wanting my customers to have the same concern for my health as they have for their own.     
        Currently the lake is lower than it has been in a couple of years, boaters need to be very careful when motoring anywhere close to shore.  We badly need rain to get our lake up to a decent level to take us through 2021, praying that will happen.  Fishing, catching,  at this very moment is very tough and will probably remain that way through December and January.  This is the time that guiding slows way down for myself and the other guides working the lake as people concentrate on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the winter weather is not that conducive to a enjoyable day out on the lake.
       My wife and I are blessed with good health, each other, and the Lord in our hearts to lean on for strength.   We wish all who are reading this a ""Happy Thanksgiving""  and a ""Merry Christmas""  Bob & Tary

        
0 Comments

9/29/20 Lake Conditions & Fishing Report

9/29/2020

0 Comments

 
What a year it has been so far, Covid outbreak, Black Lives matter protests, political upheaval, and un precedented fires throughout the Northwest and we are still in the middle of it all.   Currently and for most of September the bite, fishing, catching, at least for me has been pretty tough and very slow.   As a result I have allowed my customers to change their date or cancel their trips over these past few weeks and the up coming week.  The smoke from all the fires was also a factor but now is clearing up even though we just had another major fire erupt in Napa and Sonoma counties with many homes & wineries being lost and not under control as of this post.   The lake is now at its lowest point of the year, so be cautious when boating close to the shore as many areas now can be a hazard that normally have more water on them.  October is always a busy month for the tournament organizations and it will be again this year.  Every weekend will have some type of tournament going on so try to fish during the week if you can to avoid the extra boat traffic.  We are currently in a heat wave which has set records in many areas and is unusual for this time of the year.  We need a cool down period to get the water temperature to drop and to put the fish in their fall feeding mode to get the current bite to improve.   Stay safe, stay calm, wear your mask, follow the rules, lean on God,   God Bless,  Bob & Tary
 
0 Comments

8/26/2020 Lake Conditions & Fishing Report

8/26/2020

0 Comments

 
  As far as the Covid 19 concerns go,  nothing has changed since my last report.   Myself and the other guides working the lake are trying to do business as normal but asking our customers to be concerned and aware of their own health conditions before booking a trip and making sure that they do not have any underlying conditions that could be linked to Covid.  I have masks available on the boat for those who want to wear them and also sanitizer for frequent use.   Even though Covid remains a big problem and a big concern, as guides we have been very busy with people wanting to get away and out of their own restricted environment in the big cities. 
   Currently for this time frame of late August,  the bite has gotten slower which is typical for this time of the year.  The tournament organizations will be hitting the lake on weekends throughout September and October which is also normal, so fishing during the week is definitely recommended to avoid the excess boat traffic.  The bait fish are starting to show up all around the lake and I expect that the top water bite will get much better through September and I also expect that the overall bite will get much better as we head into the fall season.   As of this writing their are major fires throughout California including three that are in surrounding areas around the lake.   We do have smokey conditions now but as these fires get under control and the prevailing West winds kick in,  our air quality will get back to normal.   It's a trying time in the Country now with riots, fires, political upheaval, & Covid 19, but my wife and I are blessed with good health and we approach each and every day with gratitude for all that we have.   God Bless,  Bob & Tary  
0 Comments

7/4/2020 Happy Fourth Of July,  Lake conditions and overall update

7/3/2020

0 Comments

 
The recent heat wave and normal summer hot temperatures has brought on our algae blooms that we are use to dealing with and are considered normal.  While the conditions are not pretty at times with some heavy blooms and algae mats,  the fishing has been very good where we are averaging at least 25 fish per trip.  We are catching fish out of the weed mats on the upper West end of the lake in the shallow water out to the 10 and 12 foot range, while at mid lake and the South arms we are also catching them on the breaks and drop offs in the 20 to 30 foot range.  Currently a whole variety of techniques are working,  just pick your favorite and stay with it.  Anything from a variety of top water action style baits,  to anything you can work on the bottom such as jigs, drop shot, carolina rig, and Ned rig are all putting fish in the boat.   The top water action works best early in the morning and late in the evening and during the heat of the day, working the deeper sections of the lake is best.  There are not a lot of bigger fish being caught but the one to three pounders are putting up a good fight and providing a lot of action.  In a recent 49 boat team tournament, a 8.75 lber was the biggest fish caught and it took 25 lbs to win for the five fish limit,  with this in mind, Clear Lake was recently named the best bass fishery in the nation by Bass Master magazine.    
    On a personal note, myself and other guides have started taking customers again.   This is a little concerning since we are taking people from out of our area and do not know a lot about their health history and their practice of social distancing, mask wearing, staying away from crowds, etc. etc.  With the virus still in full swing and getting worse as I write this,  we have your personal safety in mind and want to make sure you have ours in mind as well before booking and during your trip.  With the virus cases mounting each day in the state,  it is possible that more restrictions will be put in place and even possible that we could be shut down again.  On my boat I have plenty of hand sanitizer and extra masks to be worn by those who want them, and a temperature taker,  this in itself may not prevent the catching of the virus,  that's why we want to make sure we are all practicing good safety habits and are aware of our own health conditions.    The world is in a lot of turmoil right now,  getting out on the lake and enjoying the scenery, wildlife, fresh air, and the great fishing is truly a blessing,   Stay Safe, God Bless,  Bob and Tary 
0 Comments

5/24/20 Memorial day weekend, Thank You to all who have served to keep us free

5/24/2020

0 Comments

 
  It's Memorial day weekend and the parking lots at the boat ramps are packed with over 1/2 of the boats being from out of the county.  As one of the several local guides working the lake, we are being told that we should not guide as we would be bringing people from out of the area and not honoring the Governors shelter in place and Non Essential travel ban.  It seems to be a double standard for us since out of county boaters can come here,  out of the area guides are coming here and guiding, and you can come here and rent a boat from the local source.   With all of this in mind,  I expect to start re scheduling and re booking several of my cancellations and also start picking up some of my future bookings in the next few weeks or so.
    The lake is currently in great conditions with very nice water clarity and no algae blooms,  although with the predicted next few days of hot weather, we may see the algae blooms start to appear.  I have been out on the lake twice this past week and I would rate the fishing as good.   I have not caught any real big fish but most of the fish we are catching are hard fighters in the one to three pound range.   The top water bite has started to pick up as the bass start to feed up from the spawn and also those that are protecting beds and their babies.  I do expect that once we can fully start guiding and for those who will be coming here through out the summer and fall, that we will continue to have a good fishery and a good bite.  
     The Covid 19 crisis is far from over and I expect in the next few weeks we will see a spike in our counties current 10 cases from this Memorial day crowd that has come to the lake.   As for myself, my wife, and our own caution,  I will be selective in my trips, giving a critique of my customers health and well being, and being satisfied that neither myself, or my customers pose a threat to our mutual health before booking any trips.   Stay safe, practice all the safety protocols, Happy Memorial Day,  God Bless, Bob a
nd Tary 
0 Comments

4/17/20  Lake Update/virus concerns

4/17/2020

0 Comments

 
   It's been a long time since I posted,  it seems the whole world has changed since my last post.  I last guided on March the 12th and right after that our Lake was closed down to all fishing, boating of any kind, and even fishing from the shoreline was and is prohibited.  I have had to cancel all of my mid March, all of April, and I am in the process of cancelling at least the first two weeks of May.  I have been sending deposits back and many of my customers have been asking when the Lake may be open for fishing.  This will all depend on our Governors recommendations and also our County Public Health Director.  It is a good possibility that the lake will be closed for the month of May and even into june for taking people from out of the area.   Our County health director issued a press release yesterday advising all out of the area people to please not visit Lake County during this time of stay at home and shelter in place order.  Even if you own a second vacation home here, they are asking that you honor the stay at home order in your own county and not travel to Lake County.
    I am hoping that I can start my guide business back up by July, but that will depend on how the virus is peaking, what the Governor declares and what our own Public Health Director orders.   For those of you who visit my website and this Facebook page and have pending trips or want to reschedule a trip, feel free to call, text, 707-349-4460, email, bob@fishclearlake.com, or leave me a message here to find out the status of the lake.   My wife and are doing fine, taking daily walks along the uncrowded shoreline of the lake, working in our garden and enjoying this """Very Expensive Vacation""   Stay safe, wear your mask, wash your hands often, we hope you have toilet paper,  (smile)   God Bless,   Bob and Tary

    
0 Comments

12/7/19 Fishing Report & Lake Conditons

12/7/2019

1 Comment

 
​
Well once again I have been remiss in keeping my reports up to date.  It's amazing what staying busy guiding can do to paying attention to my reports.  It's been another great season for Clear Lake and my business, and from what I have seen from this years trips and my most recent trips, 2020 is going to be even a better year than 2019.   All the fish we are catching are fat and healthy and are getting bigger all the time.   From now until the end of March, most of my trips will be worked around using live bait if the customers prefer and the results can be amazing.   A recent two day trip with the same customers resulted in 122 fish caught for the two days using live bait on a drop shot rig.  It doesn't always happen like this but the live bait definitely improves your chances. 
    The artificial bite currently is geared towards those who want to fish the bigger swim baits and A rigs along with lipless crank baits and deep diving crank baits.  Now through April is the time to throw the larger stuff and look for that trophy size bass.  The crappie bite is setting up to be another great year and they are currently schooling up out in the deeper water before moving in mass into the shallows to spawn later on.   The catfish are also hitting our live bait while fishing for bass and they have been big and fat so it looks like it will be another good year for them as well.   The lake was and is in good shape going into 2020, we had a full lake this year and with our current rainy conditions we are on track to have another good year of water level.  
     From now through April you can work a variety of techniques from throwing the big 8 to 10 inch baits, to drop shotting plastics and live bait.   This is the time frame when that trophy size bass can be caught but you have to be prepared for what the weather will bring with colder temperatures, storms, wind, and rain.   The lake is literally loaded with millions of crappie, blue gill, silver side minnows, and shad, all of which bodes well for bigger bass in 2020.   There is so much bait in the lake that currently it is my estimation that we have over a thousand white pelicans working the lake and herding the bait into the shallows to eat, It's and amazing sight to see.   I will close by wishing all of you who read my report a Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2020.   God Bless,   Bob and Tary
      


1 Comment
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Author

    Bob Myskey

    Archives

    March 2023
    January 2023
    October 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012

    Categories

    All
    Fishing Tips

    RSS Feed