? regarding Clear Lake

[FISHMANLEE]

Just looking to see if any of you help me out with fishing Clear Lake in April (20-27). This will be my first time up there, and I have no idea what to bring. The place I will be staying in Nice. So if anybody could help me out with what baits and colors i would need i would appreciate it. Maybe even recommend a guide or two that would be great. Baits and colors would really help out alot.

thx
fishmanlee

[FISH2WIN55]

As far as a guide goes I would recommend Richard Pounds. He is a great guy, very easy going. There is a lot of great guides up here. I would also recommend Ross England or Jim Dowdy. I would bring swimbaits. Hitch and baby bass are my favorites for that time of year. Call Ed at Tackle-It in Lakeport he will hook you up with what you need. Good luck.
Roger

[Greg_Cornish]

Super guy Bob Myskey right on the water in Nice - launch from Nice. http://www.fishclearlake.com/

[Gator]

Call Cooch for a guide....

For up to the minute on the lake, talk to Bob at LimitOut.....

[bassdaddy]

Echo on the Bob Myskey call...

[FISH2WIN55]

That is one that slipped my mind. Bob is a great guy as well. We are pretty blessed with great guides up here.

[David Rogers]

I fish Clear Lake 2-4 days a month and you can't go wrong with Yamamoto Senkos & hula grubs in watermelon with any color flake. When tossing the hulas use round shakey heads with wire screw in to keep the bait on and go as light as possible with the weight so you don't get hung up in the rocks. As for swimbaits I would go with 3:16 mission fish in hitch I think Ross England has proved that enough, the mission fish will go through anything with out getting hung up, I would start with the 5". If the above does not work break out the drop shot rod and with 6lb floro and toss 6" zoom swamp crawler in watermelon candy (only at limit out bait and tackle) or the ever faithfull margareta mutilator robo worm. If you like to crankum up, go with the Rapala DT 10 in silver black. OK one more fav, how about the black/blue creature bait on a shakey head.
Last year 11.2 lb on the DT 10 (Feb 25th)
Last year 10 lb on drop shot (Oct 15)
Last year 9.9 on black/blue creature bait shakey head (June 20)
Last year 8.2 on Yamamoto hula grub shakey head (June 19)
Last year 7 lb on watermelon senko wackie style (July 15)
Countless 5-4 lbers (all year)
Sound like I am bragen? Yes yes I am:)
Truth be said I want everyone to have a good time, it cost a lot to get out on the water and I want everyone to get every cent out of their efforts.
P.S. If you don't catch and release may all this info be deleted from you brain!!
God bless and tight lines and see you on the water!!

[BassAddiction]

I went out last year with Richard. He is a great guy. We fished a half day and I caught 11 fish. He really knows the lake. Here's a link to his site.
http://www.bassfishinclearlake.com/

Dave

[Bob Simard]

Both are great guys and both know the lake very well, and are tune with it pretty much year round.

Go out with one or the other your first day there, and ask a lot of questions. Both are top notch guys and will give you the straight skinny.

I can garaunty you - it'll make the rest of your trip much more enjoyable. That pond can be very humbling for first timers, even in late April. You don't just show up with 'baits X,Y, and Z' and start catching 5 pounders.

Starting off with a solid bit of base knowledge will allow you to expand, pattern, try new things and make your week all the better.

Best Regards,

Bob Simard

[GITBIT]

David,

Those of us who only make it up there once or twice a year really appreciate posts like yours. Thanks for the info.

How about some pattern info for early Spring for a senario where we don't get an early warming trend. Our Spring break is in mid March this year. What are some patterns that are common for an early Spring bite with cooler water temps. Low 50's vs. high 50's or low 60's. I am feeling confident that the bite will not be the same as early April last year. That bite was incredible. I just want to be prepared for my trip. The odds of having similar conditions are not good. Especially since I will have my two boys with me. Must keep them engaged. Should I fish for crappie part of the day?

Thanks,

Mike

[Tobe]

You don't just show up with 'baits X,Y, and Z' and start catching 5 pounders.


Bob Simard

I'll be damned if you don't Bob.

[David Rogers]

Hey there Getbit,
Spring time at Clear Lake can be off the hook or just like it is now where you have to dead stick it. I think weather above all is the factor in spring for a good bite with water temp being a close second, I think once that temp hits around 57 deg or more they start getting active but if a storm comes in it can shut it down. When the spring bite is good I rip rip rip a stacy 90 in chartrues shad if its muddy use clown. In 2006 my buddy Kameron that lives there showed me how good the stacey can be when he got 75 fish to 4 lbs in one day and I got 50 fish to 4 lbs. For me when the bite gets tuff I toss the wacky rigged senko around rock or go weedless around toolies still no weight and load it up with smelly Jelly. The thing about Clear Lake is if its nasty in spring you still have a chance at a toady, I got my PB last year 11.2 lbs on a crank bait after fishing 16 hrs in 2 days and only catching 6 13 inch fish to show for it but I did not give up and kept swinging, I cranked a 300 yard stretch and hit every rock with my crank bait, on the last dock I was going to fish she hit. Never give up baby! I just got into the swim bait thing but let me tell you Ross England has been spaken them for years now up there and look at what Steve Kenedy did last year at the BASS and Skeet Reese. I have a 5 day trip planned for March and I will be rippen and swim baiten till my arm falls off! When we get a good steady warm weather pattern going look for those fish to move from those deep rocky point 20-30 feet to the nearest flats, look for nice hard bottoms that's where they will be looking to spawn. As for your boys, if the bite is tuff it will teach them patience and persistance. My son and I sat on the couch last night and went through the whole Bass Pro shops catalog, we both kept saying I want that, I want that.

Good luck and see you on the water.

[Greg_Cornish]

Speaking of Ross England, I saw him in Lakeport. He is recovering nicely from his heart attack in the FLW Tournament. I had heard rumors about that day ad how it happened so rather than perpetuate them I outright asked him. He laughed and pretty much said none were true.

Isn't that the way it always goes? Clear Lake Guide Big George Hawley was dead for two days before he found out he was dead once.

Ross is a helluva stick and a great guy. The day I saw him he said he was going to make his first trip out alone the next day. Don't know if he's back guiding yet, but he looked great.

[nipples]

Hey FISHMANLEE ....


Check this link

http://www.westernbass.com/dotcom/guides/

First time on Clearlake.. I highly recommend to spend the first day with a decent guide.. most of the good ones will most likely be book already, but there might be a few days open due to cancelations.

I highly recommend the following for Clearlake:

Cooch - http://www.coochsfishing.com/

Pringle - http://www.thefishinginstructor.com/

Hemphill - http://www.thefishsniffer.com/hemphill/

Gliebe - http://www.westernbass.com/shared/spons ... guide.html

You can't go wrong with any of those 4, well worth every penny you spend...

Best of luck to you and hope you have a great time...


-Paul-

[fishyd]

Bob We don't talk about bait Z dude!!!

Doug McKa