Wind and occasional light rain are in the forecast for the next few days. While the conditions have made it tough for fishermen, the fish seem to be only somewhat affected by the weather change. (Remember last week was warm and sunny with just a slight breeze.) The water temperature is right at 55 degrees.

Bass anglers fishing live jumbo minnows are catching plenty of fish. One angler reported on Friday morning that he caught nearly 30 fish yesterday (Thursday) on minnows. He said that while the fishing was good it was difficult to position his boat precisely where he wanted it due to the wind.

We’re selling between 1,500 and 2,000 jumbo minnows each week as this bite has simply been great. The weather change has set the artificial bite back a bit. This will probably last for a few days as conditions are not supposed to improve until Monday. It may take a few days back in the warm, sunny weather to get the artificial bite back on the move again.

We’ve had no change in the crappie report now for a few weeks. Nothing new to report here … A tough bite with a few fish being reported over in the Clearlake Keys. Lousy as it is, that’s the crappie report. Keep me in the loop if you get onto some fish …

We have had a noticeable change in the catfish bite. Cats are now being taken by fishing live baits suspended in 8 to 10 feet of water. This signals that the cats have started their spring feeding pattern. We’re also getting word that they are taking live and cut baits fished right on the bottom at similar depths. The cats have been the most consistently cooperative fish species this year and conditions are improving. Bring on the Catfish Derby!

We’re just a few weeks away from our annual NRA Dinner and Auction. This is a fundraising event that brings money back into our community for youth and women’s shooting education, grants for our local ranges and public safety agencies, and firearms safety programs. The guns, custom knives, and exclusive artwork available at the dinner are simply stunning.

We’ll be enjoying a prime rib dinner with all the trimmings, too. Dinner tickets are available here at Lakeshore Bait and Tackle. The firearms for the dinner are arriving every few days and some will be on display here at the shop to be previewed before the April 19 dinner. Dinner tickets are $50. Sponsorship opportunities also are available.

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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