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By JOSEPH HARGREAVES
After a cold dry January that saw water temps drop into the low 40’s NorCal bassers haven’t had much action. It’s going to take more rain followed by longer, warmer days before early pre-spawn gets going, and the bass start chewing.
I have had very few promising reports come in from my friends and customers. A lot of guys just aren’t trying and with the red hot Russian River steehead bite, I don’t blame them.
I haven’t heard anything from our Marin lakes, but maybe if we get more rain a swimbait bite or drop shot/rip bait bite will start.
Clearlake
Clearlake is extremely cold right now with temperatures in the low 40’s and the fish are about as winter sluggish as they get. Some fish have been caught on jumbo minnows in the south end, but most fish are in the 2-3 lb class – hardly worth $100 in minnows to be practically sturgeon fishing.
Die hard bassers are catching fish on shakey worms and drop shot worms or Staysee jerk baits and ½ oz brown football head jigs with jumbo No. 1 pork frogs. They do have the lake to themselves but it is hard work.
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Lake Sonoma
One of my regular customers, Mr. Beck, has been doing really well at Lake Sonoma fishing 1/2 –3/4 oz football head jigs with No. 1 jumbo pork frogs off ledges and flooded trees. He puts anywhere from 1-5 minutes into each cast and really lets them chew on that big pork frog before setting the hook. That being said, Mr. Beck is a structure fishing freak and no one else seems to be doing all that well.
All the pond bums are still catching fish on low rolling spinner baits with pork and crawling 7” black action tail worms on the bottom with a single BB size split shot. |
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