Hot weather greeted fishermen at Clear Lake all week. On most days the temperature has been hitting the century mark by midafternoon. The best action has been either early in the morning or just before dark. Fishermen and boaters should exercise extreme caution when launching their boats as the water level at the public ramps is dropping every day.

As of Thursday morning the lake level was a minus-.96 on Rumsey Gauge and the lake level is dropping about two inches a week. The last public ramp that will remain open is the Fifth Street ramp in Lakeport. It is still in fair condition.

Overall the bass fishing remains from fair to very good. Most of the bass are being caught offshore in the heavy weed mats. The top lures have been jigs or plastic worms rigged split-shot style or on a jig head. Typically the guides have been averaging 15-20 fish per day for their clients.

Some of the best action has been near Henderson Point and in Soda Bay. The Redbud Arm of the lake also has been producing fish. In the north end near Rocky Point the weed and algae mats are so thick you can hardly fish there. The other problem in the north end is that the lake is very shallow all along the shoreline at Rocky Point. The bass are still spawning in many areas and a few fishermen are having success “sight” fishing. There are still very few large bass being caught. Right now a 5-pounder is considered a good fish.

Best Bass Tournaments (BBT) will hold team tournament Saturday. The tournament is expected to draw approximately 70 boats and will operate out of Library Park in Lakeport. The weigh-in starts at noon. BBT always puts on a quality tournament and knows how to take care of fish.

There are several major tournaments scheduled for August. One popular tournament that won’t be held this year is the Bob’s Marine. That tournament was scheduled for Sept. 10-11. A spokesman for Bob’s Marine said that the high price of gasoline and the falling lake level were reasons behind the tournament’s cancellation. Whether or not Bob’s Marine will hold a tournament next year is undecided.

The good news is the crappie and catfish are biting. The only problem is a lack of fishermen. The few crappie anglers are catching up to 50 a day, with a number weighing in the 2-pound class. The crappie are being caught all around the lake from both boats and shore. The top lure has been a red-white crappie jig fished under a bobber.

Catfishermen are also cashing in on the action and some of the catfish are weighing up to 20 pounds. The top bait has been nightcrawlers fished beneath a bobber or rigged on a sinker and fished off the bottom. The best area for catfish has been near Rattlesnake Island.

Other local waters are also offering fair to good fishing. Trout anglers are finding decent action at Upper Blue Lake. The lake hasn’t been stocked in more than month but there are still trout being caught. Both boater and shore fishermen have been catching trout.

Another little lake that is producing good bluegill and bass is Highland Springs Reservoir, located just outside of Lakeport. This is the ideal small lake to use a float tube or kayak.

A walk through Clear Lake State Park is the ideal way to spend a morning or evening. The park has an abundance of wildlife and beautiful scenery. There are dozens of well-maintained trails and the park is a safe place to relax.