OK, with that said, let’s talk about the fishing some. Bass guys (and gals) are doing well – by boat. Crappie folks – not so much. Catfish – some. Here are the details.
Bass anglers fishing by boat are doing well fishing ledges, drop offs and rocks. Key presentations and baits are Aarons Magic or Bold Bluegill finesse worms on a drop shot rig, jerk baits like Rapala’s X-Rap or Husky Jerk, or Lucky Craft’s Pointer series, and spinner baits.
Live minnows have simply knocked ‘em stupid this last week. The flip side of this is that shore anglers are having a tough time putting it together. Weeds and shallow water have really made it difficult for folks to bank fish.
Overall, the crappie fishing has been lousy. There’s one exception. Jago Bay is holding a concentration of aggressive crappie. Your best bet is to hit them before sunrise as they pull a disappearing act once the sun is on the water. Live bait fished in 5 to 10 feet of water has been doing the trick. It’ll be interesting to see how this bite develops with the onset of this cooler weather. Bluegill are starting to make a return. Look for them where you’re seeing herons or concentrations of bait fish.
Catfishermen have retreated deep into Cache Creek to find active catfish. Clams and livers have been popular. Some crazy cats have been frustrating bassers by whacking their jerk baits – hard. That proves to be a good indicator that live bait should be working well if fished in the 5 to 15 foot depth. Give it a try!
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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