Nice weather, less stink (from the dead carp) and a slight improvement have brought more anglers out. Season openers for duck (Balance of State) and quail (Zone Q1 and Balance of State) this weekend have brought the hunters out, too.

Here's what we've got for you in this week's report.

Bass anglers have figured out that minnows are a favorite for fall bass. Local Guide Bob Myskey gave us a good report on Thursday with 23 bass boated, almost four dozen minnows used. The best bite for bass was at the 20 foot depth. (Specific location undisclosed, understandably.)

We've had a few good reports this week that indicate at least some of the bass are willing to cooperate. We're seeing deeper running crank baits and lipless cranks starting up. Drop shotting deeper water is working as well. While this isn't an all day bite, things are improving ... I'll keep you posted.

We've got some spotty reports of five to 10 crappie coming out of 24 to 30 foot water. Jones Bay and Jago Bay are getting attention. The action isn't consistent from day to day, but there is action. Minnows, here again, are the key to finding some nice big slabs.

The catfish continue to be hungry and willing. Big minnows or the usual stuff out of the freezer are doing the trick. Boaters are having the best luck. Jago Bay and the tip of the pipeline here in the Redbud Arm are producing.

For event news, or store news, not sure which to call it ... We've begun our planned expansion project. We just added another 640 square feet of retail space to our store. The project will continue for the next few weeks before the new part of our store is up to speed, but we're excited to be growing.

Stop by and see what's going on, but pardon the dust as the work is getting done. Your favorite sport shop is growing to serve you better with more of what you want!

And for some of you may know, we were burglarized this week. The thief got nothing (we put our guns in a vault at night) but sure did make a mess of things. We're still finding glass! I mention this only to say a very sincere thank you to many of you that called, emailed or stopped by to check on us. And also, a big heart-felt thank you to West Alert – our security company – and the Clearlake Police Department who have done such a great job 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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