Last week? Snow and rain. This week? Sun and 70's. The bass bite is picking up accordingly as the water temp comes back up to the 50's. The crappie bite is quite good too. And, for the first time this year, we can talk a little about catfish. Here's what we know:

The bass bite has been best in shallow water (less than 8 feet) in and around tules. Anglers are fishing soft plastics like Zoo's Speed Worm or the new Yamamoto Swimming Senko, jigs (brown & orange or brown & purple), shaky head jigs (fishing a floating finesse worm on a jig head), and live jumbo or extra large minnows. Keep your angling speed down and fish thoroughly. The biggest news is about the big fish we've seen in the last few weeks.

We talked about Darryl Cecil's 12+ pound bass a couple of weeks ago. I finally got a picture of it to share with you folks. Then a week later David Rogers stopped by just as I was closing the store. Dave was really excited and told me he caught a BIG bass. I grabbed my camera and scale, closed my store, and met him back at Redbud Park to take a few pictures and weigh his 11# 2 oz. bass. It was great to see such a huge fish and have the opportunity to be part of his excitement. Once we'd weighed it and took our pictures, Dave put her back in the water and helped her freshen up before she swam away. And finally, and this one is really special, 15 year old Trenton Sosbee of Colfax, CA was fishing jumbo minnows with Guide Doug Crandall of GetRDone Guide Service when he landed a monster 11 pound 2 ounce bass. Now, try expressing the "fish of a lifetime" concept to a 15 year old?Ķ Fortunately, his grandfather is the one that booked the guide trip and he's planning to mount Trenton's big fish to be preserved and appreciated for many years to come. Three bass over ten pounds in three week's time?Ķ That's a record for us here in the bait shop.

Chartreuse has surpassed white as the color of choice for crappie anglers. Medium minnows are also starting to take off, too. Quality crappie are being taken in good quantity at Konocti Harbor Resort, the Four Poles, and up at Kono Tayee Point. In some areas around Lakeport, Crappie are starting to move into shoreline areas and getting ready to spawn.

-Bob Rider, Owner
Lakeshore Bait & Tackle
14913-D Lakeshore Drive
Clearlake, CA 95422
707.994.FISH
707.994.4961 fax
www.994Fish.com