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Thread: Clear Lake Crappie

  1. #1
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    Default Clear Lake Crappie


    Clear Lake (California) is considered one of the best, if not the best, bass fishing location in the country. When a couple of friends, who both are serious bass fishermen, invited me to join them at Clear Lake for some 'schooling' on bass fishing, I did what was necessary to clear my schedule and join them last week. They also added that crappie fishing was pretty decent, stating in passing that the California state record black crappie (4.8 lbs.) was caught at Clear Lake.

    While waiting at Konocti Marina for them to pick me up on Wednesday morning, I watched the crappie 'morning bite' switch on and fishermen on the Konocti dock catching slab after slab. Nothing under twelve inches and multiple slabs that were sixteen to seventeen inches ! As I started re-rigging one of my setups to get some of that action, my friends arrived in the boat, so it was off to some serious bass 'schooling'.

    One word: unbelievable! We stopped counting after each catching fifteen bass, all ranging from three to five pounds. The previous day, my friends caught a couple of sixes and an eight pound bass. When I remarked on how amazing the 'action' was, my friends both said that the 'bass bite' this summer was down compared to the last couple of years. That comment was repeated by several other folks my friends introduced me to. I can't begin to imagine what it is like when the bass 'bite' is really 'on'.

    That next morning, I joined the crappie fishermen on the marina dock and it was 'on' :p. I caught the eight crappie in the first picture in just over an hour and missed three more that were so heavy the hook tore out of their mouth before someone could get to me with a net . Now I know why all the crappie fishermen at the dock each had a net. In addition to the crappie, the bluegill/sunfish 'bite' was on. One of the guys caught over twenty in the same spot, most of which were larger than the largest in the second picture.

    Not only did the crappie and bluegill/sunfish love Skip's jigs, I caught five more largemouth bass at the dock and kept two for my best friend's mom. Earlier when I told her I my bass fishing was 'catch and release', she promised great 'bodily harm' to me if I did not bring her back a couple of bass to cook. The third picture is a five pound bass one of the guys caught standing next to me while I was landing a crappie. All of this action occurred right from the marina dock and the guys I met there said it was like that all the time; crappie slabs, large bluegill/sunfish, largemouth bass, and catfish (fourth picture and the wire basket is full of slabs).

    I am already making plans for another trip to Clear Lake/Konocti in the next couple of weeks. As I said in an earlier post, "we grow 'em big in Cali" and I have to add, "we grow a lot of 'em" :D.

    Doc
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    A nice report and those are good looking crappie. Wished I was near enough to get in on some of that action, Amazing so many are caught right off the dock. Using minnows and bobbers I suppose?
    AG

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    Quote Originally Posted by gkvette
    A nice report and those are good looking crappie. Wished I was near enough to get in on some of that action, Amazing so many are caught right off the dock. Using minnows and bobbers I suppose?
    AG
    The majority were caught using Skip's jigs with Berkley Crappie Nibbles on the hook and "vertical casting", no float. Caught a few with minnows. In both cases, the crappie 'hit' the jig or minnow on the "fall" rather than the "rise".

    Doc
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  4. #4
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    Nice pics Doc!!! I have a daughter in the Bay area, Livermore. The next time I'm in Cali, I'll have to try Clear Lake.


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    Wow Doc looks like you guys had a really great time and had some excellent luck with the fish too. Can't ask for more than that!

    Nice pictures too!

    Thanks for the kind words about my jigs and I am happy you are having good luck with them.

    I like it when the crappie eat the jig, but when they take it that deep it is hard to get out without a knife at the cleaning table.

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    Hey Doc, wow looks and sounds like ya had a good time. Nice pics too.


    Gonefission
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    Great report Doc,
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    Nice quality fish doc.....good fishin.
    For a full line of fluid beds
    soft plastic, jig heads and more see us at

    www.simplycrappie.com

    http://stores.ebay.com/Simply-Crappie

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    Quote Originally Posted by speckhunter
    Nice pics Doc!!! I have a daughter in the Bay area, Livermore. The next time I'm in Cali, I'll have to try Clear Lake.
    Let me know when you are in Cali and maybe we can sync up for some crappie/bass fishing. You might also consider checking out Lake Berryessa, which will be on the way to Clear Lake from Livermore. I have heard the crappie 'bite' is as good or maybe even slightly better than Clear Lake. I am working my schedule to check it out in the next 2-3 weeks.

    Doc
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    Nice slabs DrPerf!!!

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