Clear Lake 2009

We stayed at the Worldmark condo at Clear Lake for 3 days and fished one day with Bob Myskey a well renowned guide (Bassin with Bob - www.fishclearlake.com) at Clear Lake. The bite was very tough with a cold front and bass tourney going on. We did very well despite the conditions catching 5 bass with the largest going around 4lbs. All were caught on shakey head with zoom trick worm in about 6 feet of water on the outside weed edge. Had a great time and this trip really got me going on bass fishing. I lost a big fish at the boat - probably went close to 7lbs!! Im definitely coming back to Clear Lake!!

About Clear Lake:

Clear Lake is the largest, natural freshwater lake in California, with 68 square miles of surface area.

Lakes have existed at the site of Clear Lake for at least 2.5 million years, possibly making it the oldest lake in North America. The lake has changed shape over time, with a continuous lake for at least the last 450,000 years in the Upper Arm (between Lakeport and Lucerne), while the Oaks Arm and Lower Arm are only about 17,000 years old.

There are numerous motels, resorts and commercial campgrounds on the lake that feature boat rentals, tackle shops and stores. In addition to the resorts and motels there is the Clear Lake State Park. The park has a boat ramp plus campsites and a visitor's center.

One advantage of Clear Lake is its accessible boat ramps. There are 11 public ramps around the lake where fishermen can launch their boats free of charge. The wide variety of launch points is an advantage for the small boaters on windy days.

Known as the Bass Capital of the West, Clear Lake supports large populations of bass, crappie, bluegill, carp and catfish. Two-thirds of the fish caught in Clear Lake are largemouth bass, with a record of 17.52 pounds.

In addition to fish, there is abundant wildlife within the Basin.

The algae in Clear Lake are part of the natural food chain and keep the lake fertile and healthy. Because of the lake's relative shallowness and warm summer temperatures, the algae serve another important purpose. It keeps the sun's rays from reaching the bottom and reduces the growth of water weeds which would otherwise choke off the lake.

Blue-green algae typically "bloom" twice a year, in spring and late summer. The intensity of the blooms varies from year to year and is unpredictable. When this occurs, unsightly slicks and odors can be produced.

Algae do not affect the edibility of fish. However, due to elevated mercury levels in some of Clear Lake's fish, the advisory from the California Department of Health Services limiting the number of fish consumed should be heeded.