CatfishED.com

October 3, 2002

     The windy weather has kept a lot of catfishermen off the lake. The few anglers that have been braving the winds have not been catching many catfish.

     The one exception is Catfish Guide Anthony Howard (707)-994-3023 of Clearlake who had an evening trip last night with his client, Bob Morris from Sacramento. Bob caught two big channel cats weighing 15 and 20 pounds using mackerel for bait. Bob said they were the biggest cats he ever caught by far and he headed back to Sacramento a happy man. They were fishing near Monitor Island in 15 to 18 feet of water. Anthony says he's confident that he can continue to produce similar catches even in windy conditions.

     Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks (707) 998-1006 says the catfishing in the Oaks Arm is very slow. The few boats going out are fishing the sheltered end of Rattlesnake Island but they are experiencing very little action.

     We haven't had time to try my favorite spots in the Nice/Lucerne Area this week but I'm planning on going out on Monday morning so I'll include the results in next week's report.

October 10, 2002

     The catfish action is improving in the Oaks Arm but it's still pretty slow in the north end.

     Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks (707) 998-1006 says there are a lot of nice sized cats being caught at M & M Campground with live crawdads and jumbo minnows. Four anglers fished from Monday night until Tuesday morning at M & M and caught 10 cats weighing up to 16 pounds. Elden Riley, manager of M & M has been catching 2 to 3 cats per trip in the 10 to 15 pound class while drift fishing with shad in 40 feet of water near the south side of Rattlesnake Island.

     Our fishing buddy Andy and I went out Monday morning for a little drift fishing in the Nice/Lucerne Area for catfish. I caught a 10 pounder on mackerel the first hour and Andy missed a good strike but we spent the next 5 hours without another bite. I don't know why the catfishing is so slow this fall, there is plenty of bait in the area and the weather has been ideal. Hopefully it will pick up very soon.

     We usually post this report every Thursday afternoon but I was out of town ( I got married ) and just got back Thursday evening. I will go back to posting it on Thursdays starting next week....Ed

October 18, 2002

     We usually post this report every Thursday afternoon but I was out of town ( I got married ) and just got back Thursday evening. I will go back to posting it on Thursdays starting next week....Ed

     The only catfish report I could get this week was from Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks (707) 998-1006:

     Bob says they are catching 3 to 4 catfish per person running from 8 or 9 pounds up to 18 pounds at Indian Beach Resort off their pier using live jumbo minnows and cut bait.        Bob adds that drift fishing with jumbo minnows and cut bait at Wheeler Point in the Clearlake Arm has been producing 2 or 3 cats per boat in the 8 to 12 pound range.

October 24, 2002

     The catfish action remains slow even though we are well into what should be the very productive fall pattern.

     Catfish guide Anthony Howard (707)-994-3023 took out a client last weekend for a night trip and he (the client) caught and released a 23 pound channel catfish while fishing at Monitor Island with a dead jumbo minnow. Unfortunately, shortly afterwards the wind increased to where the fish quit cooperating. Anthony reports that Red Bud Pier in            Clearlake is producing 2 or 3 cats per person ranging from 8 to 12 pounds apiece using nightcrawlers and mackerel as bait. Although a few fish are being caught during the day, nights are much more productive according to Anthony.

     Percy Oved of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks (707) 998-1006 says that most catfish anglers are having a tough time locating the fish but bass fishermen are catching quite a few catfish by accident with crankbaits and jigs. One bass fisherman caught and released 7 cats weighing from 8 to 15 pounds while throwing a pig-n-jig near rocky shorelines in the Clearlake Oaks Arm. Percy adds that they are still catching a few nice fish at M & M Campground in Clearlake Oaks including a 19 and 25 pounder on mackerel.

October 31, 2002

     The catfish action has improved considerably in the south end of the lake. There are very few anglers pursuing catfish in the north end.

     Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks (707) 998-1006 reports excellent fishing in the Clearlake Oaks and Redbud Arms. Some of the top producing spots are Rattlesnake Island, Horseshoe Bend and Henderson Point. The top baits are live jumbo minnows, anchovies and mackerel. Both drifting and anchoring in 10 to 30 feet of water has been putting fish in the boat. The cats are running from around 8 to 12 pounds with an occasional 18 to 25 pounder. Most anglers are catching anywhere from 4 to 6 fish per trip. Bob adds that M & M Campground in Clearlake Oaks has been kicking out a few big catfish from shore including a 30 pounder caught with a jumbo minnow.

     The only catfish action in the north end of the lake is an occasional fish in the 6 to 10 pound class being taken from shore in the Nice/Lucerne Area and in Lakeport.