Cold, rain and snow this week have kept the fishermen at bay and made conditions miserable for those that braved the elements to wet a line.

The fishing is ultra-tough this week. Bass tournament guys are striking out and crappie anglers are simply unable to locate the slabs.

There are few details beyond that … The good news is the lake level is up nearly 2 feet from just a few weeks ago. The gage height in Lakeport was at 3.20 feet and rising when I checked Friday afternoon.

We had a pretty good bass bite on last Thursday and Friday for those anglers fishing live jumbo minnows. That bite started to taper off quickly again as we went into Saturday and was difficult again before the end of the weekend.

Bass guys tossing artificial lures – of nearly any variety – flat out struck out. The weather has been so bad in the latter part of this week, there aren’t any reports to work off of. Your best bet is likely to wait until the lake is fishable again and see what the recent rains have done for us. Water clarity, temperature, food source and water level will all be effected.

The crappie report hasn’t changed any from last week’s report. Tough as nails. Can’t find ‘em. Keep trying and let us know ASAP when you’re onto ‘em. We’ll keep fresh bait in the tank and product on the shelves so we can get you outfitted when they come back! (Now how’s that for an honest report, eh?)

The only upshot to this report may be the catfish. A few anglers have had a bit of luck bank fishing for cats with nightcrawlers, mackerel, and anchovies. Look for areas surrounding inlets for actively feeding catfish.

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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