The bite report is as frustrating as the wind these days … How does one describe things? Topsy-turvy is one way. Tough is another. Whether the fishing is good or bad, we may not be able to tell as the wind has been howling for several days now and the lake looks like someone turned the wave machine on. I’m hoping that with the changing weather conditions forecast for the weekend, the wind will lay down and the fishing will pick up. Here’s what I’ve heard in the shop…

Bass fishermen are dodging high winds and rough water to find a few fish holding on ledges and drop offs. Zoom’s Speed Worm, and the mighty Senko are tops this week for soft plastics. Some are finding fish in 18 inches of water with frogs. When the sun shines and the wind drops off, the bite swings back pretty well. Jumbo minnows are still the old stand-by for when things are tough. But alas, even the minnows fail us when the wind is howling and the lake gets big.

LAST MINUTE UPDATE: A few guys managed to do combat fishing with waves crashing over the bow and the boat taking on water … They did pretty well fishing the techniques I mentioned above. Bass inside the marina and crappie outside the marina in 20 feet of water at the Boat Works.

And that’s a good teaser for the crappie bite that we get so many calls about each week. Crappie, deep water, rocks on the bottom. That’s the prescription for taking home a few nice slabs this week. The Boat Works (outside the marina), not the Four Poles, has produced some beautiful chrome black crappie now for a couple weeks. They’re deep!

Jago Bay has some crappie lurking under some of the docks. With a report like this, I’d just have to go on the hunt and try Leubow Point, Clearlake Resort (formerly Fun Time), Indian Beach Resort and Clearlake Oaks as other possibles on my crappie hit list.

Catfish are stacked up pretty good down in Cache Creek. Plan on taking a good long boat ride, nice and slow (it is a now wake zone), and work your way down towards Lower Lake. All of the usual suspects have made an appearance on the whiskerfish menu this week – mackerel, anchovies, night crawlers, shrimp, clams, etc. The wind has been off the charts for drifting purposes, so tie up or anchor up and set your lines.

We announced this week our final hunter safety class for the year to be held in July at the Clearlake Fire Station on Olympic Drive.

The class is a three-session class: Monday, July 21 and Wednesday, July 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday, July 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This class is a great introduction for someone new to firearms or even a good refresher for the long time hunter or gun owner. The class is appropriate for kids as young as 9 years old, when the child is accompanied by an adult. The fee is $10 per student. (As in the parent doesn’t have to pay if he or she is just sitting in with a child student.)

Parents – don’t let your children grow up scared and ignorant of firearms – give them a proper introduction and help them build respect for guns, wildlife and the outdoors!

Sign up for the class here at Lakeshore Bait & Tackle or call 707.994.FISH (3474) for more information.

Bob Rider owns Lakeshore Bait & Tackle in Clearlake. Visit his Web site at www.994fish.com or call him at 994-FISH (3474).