CatfishED.com

October 4, 2001

     The warmer weather seems to have awakened the bigger catfish in the south end of the lake with quite a few 20 pound plus fish being taken.

     Brad Farrin of Don's Bait & Tackle in Clearlake 707-995-9668 reports excellent action in the Clearlake Area from shore as well as in boats. Boaters are drifting around Monitor Island and Jago Bay in 15 to 25 feet of water with live jumbo minnows and cut bait for lots of cats running 8 to 12 pounds and quite a few monsters up to over 20 pounds. Shorebound anglers are taking a lot of 15 to 20 pound fish off local docks including Red Bud and Highlands Park piers with chicken livers and clams.

     Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks 707-998-1006 says it's been pretty slow in the Oaks Arm, they're catching a few at Rattlesnake Island with crawdads or mackerel and an occasional fish off the M & M Campground shoreline with clams and chicken liver.

     The north end of the lake is still pretty slow, I tried a little drift fishing off the Nice/Lucerne shoreline yesterday morning and only managed 1 small channel cat of about 6 pounds. I believe the action will improve in the next week or 2 as the water temperature continues to drop.

October 11, 2001

     Catfishing remains fair in the Clearlake Arm of the lake and slow in the Oaks Arm and the north end.

     Brad Farrin of Don's Bait & Tackle in Clearlake 707-995-9668 says boaters drifting with live jumbo minnows and cut mackerel around Monitor Island and Jago Bay are bringing in 4 or 5 cats weighing from 7 to 14 pounds for a nights effort. Shore anglers fishing the public piers and beaches are catching 1 or 2 fish per outing with chicken livers and clams running around 8 to 15 pounds.

     Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks 707-998-1006 says the catfishing is slow in his area. He hasn't talked to anyone that's catching catfish.

     There hasn't been much catfishing activity in the north end of the lake except for a group from West  Sacramento that was staying in their RV in Holiday Harbor right across the channel from my house earlier in the week. They were fishing for carp right here in the harbor but caught 4, 10 and 20 pound channel catfish using canned corn as bait. Twelve year old Matt Cloud caught the 20 pounder. They also caught a couple of 4 pounders near the Aurora RV Park.

October 18, 2001

     The catfishing is still decent but there aren't a lot of fishermen trying for them.

     Brad Farrin of Don's Bait & Tackle in Clearlake 707-995-9668 said there aren't a lot of catfishermen going out but the few that give it a try are doing pretty good. A pair of anglers caught 6 fish weighing from 12 to 16 pounds drifting live jumbo minnows in Jago Bay and near Monitor Island in 15 to 20 feet of water. Jumbo minnows, mackerel and chicken liver have been accounting for most of the fish.

     Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks 707-998-1006 said he still hasn't heard of anyone catching catfish in the Oaks area. There are several boats working the area for catfish but no one's talking.

     The north end of the lake is giving up some good fish both in the Nice/Lucerne Area and the Lakeport shoreline. Fishing at night from piers and beaches with nightcrawlers and clams is the top method. The fish are running from around 4 to 10 pounds with an occasional bigger one up to 17 pounds.

October 25, 2001

     The fishing is very good in both the Clearlake Arm and the Oaks Arm. The north end of the lake is giving up a few good fish but as usual there aren't many catfishermen giving it a try.

     Brad Farrin of Don's Bait & Tackle in Clearlake 707-995-9668 reports boats drifting in 10 to 15 feet of water with live jumbo minnows and nightcrawlers just about anywhere in the Clearlake (Red Bud) arm of the lake are bringing in at least 4 or 5 fish per person weighing from 10 to 15 pounds with an occasional bigger one to over 20 pounds. Local shore fishermen are doing well on pansize cats of 2 to 4 pounds with chicken liver, nightcrawlers and mackerel.

     Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks 707-998-1006 says the catfishing has improved considerably in the Oaks Arm. Rattlesnake Island and from the Oaks Water Company to the iron wall ( Sunset Point ) are the hotspots and drifting or anchoring with jumbo minnows or crawdads in 15 to 30 feet of water is the best method. Shore fishermen are still catching a few cats at M & M Campground with clams and nightcrawlers but it can be a long wait between bites.