Clear Lake – Right now is the best time of the year to fish Clear Lake. The water quality for the most part is pretty good. With many bass up in the shallows now, it’s kind of like they are spawning in shifts. One angler told me that the best bait he’s used for bedding bass is a salamander lure. He has been pitching it onto the nest and the fish just eat it up. Sounds good to me, I’ll have to give it a try. Like Blue Lakes, the wind has picked up in thenearly afternoon. This makes it hard to keep your boat in position to sight fish for bedding bass. By far, the morning hours are best time to get ‘um…
Blue Lakes – The bass fishing on the peaceful Upper Blue Lake has picked up. The morning hours have been the best time to fish. Some anglers have been catching bass on a top water lure. (Shad colored Zara Spook Puppy) Work the shoreline in cover along the Le Trianon side of the lake. I have also received reports of some nice bass being hooked in the creek channel near the Blue Lakes Lodge.
Trout anglers have also been doing pretty good. The gang who fish from the banks along Hwy. 20 say the morning hours are the best time to fish. Trollers have also been catching their fair share of trout. The key has been to get your Action Disk down 20 to 25 feet.
Lake Mendocino- You know, these mostly cloudy spring days can be some of the best days of the year to fish for bass, crappie, blue gill and catfish. When cloud cover blocks the sunlight the fish will move away from cover to the open water looking for something to eat. Be sure to wear good polarized sunglasses. This helps you to see the bass moving along the shore.
Try fishin’ a reaction bait like a spinnerbait, underspin or a crankbait. My wife Teresa, does really good bass fishin’ with a drop shot rig.
With all the wacko-ness going on the world today, I need to remind myself how blessed we are to have a quality lake such as Lake Mendo in our own backyard.
Lake Pillsbury- A little bird told me that the game wardens have a close watch on the lake, and the world has come down on some men who were poaching. The road up and over the mountain at the best, is not all that great so, take it slow and easy and you won’t have any problems going up the mountain. The hot spots are, Turtle Cove, Salt Creek, and the mouth of the river. Many bass are well into the spawn right now. Some anglers have been hooking into bass up to 10 pounds. The hot bait has been the good old, Baby Brushhog in watermelon / candy color. Be safe, wear your life jackets and enjoy your day on beautiful Lake Pillsbury.
Thanks for reading and Remember to Keep it REEL! – Don – 4REEL Fishin’
