Free Fishing This Saturday – The Ukiah Daily Journal

Pictured is Aaliyah Black (7) with a sunfish she caught on Lake Mendocino while fishing with her “Grandpa Steve.” She said, “I caught more fish than my grandpa! He caught 2 and I caught 5!” Well done Aaliyah! Who says girls can’t fish anyway?

Happy fishing, fellow anglers! I hope you all have a great 4th of July weekend. Be patient and kind. There are a lot of people on our waterways this week. To top it off, this Saturday, July 6th is a free freshwater fishing day. No fishing license required, no excuses, take a kid fishing.

Clearlake- “It’s all a big secret?… Shh… Nobody’s talking.” You could say tournament bass fishing is in peak season. Nobody wants to give good information. This is what I know. The surface bite has started in the early morning hours. Run a weedless frog over the mats or a weightless, weedless Senko. Fish both the same way. Move over the weeds, stop at the openings and wait for the explosion. When fishing the mats, you should use braided fishing line. When you catch a fish, you’ll bring back a bunch of grass slime. Topwater mat fishing can be a lot of fun! Once the sun comes out, the surface bite dies down. I recommend fishing under the docks, flipping a Senko, Brushog or drop shot worm under them. Give it a few tries. If you don’t get any action, move on to the next dock.

Lake Mendocino – Our local lake continues to be the place to fish. The word has gotten out judging by the number of anglers on the water. Folks, you need to get up EARLY and be on the water by 5:30 or 5:30. It’s so peaceful and the bass fishing is great before the rest of the world wakes up. Try fishing with a frog or a topwater lure. One of my favorites is a Bill Dance Spittin’ picture. Boy is it worth it! After 8am, switch to drop shottin’. Set your hook about 18-24 inches. This will help you catch suspended and cruising bass.

A reader also told me that the catfishing is very good right now in Crappie Cove and the river channel. The cats are poking around in the shallows looking for freshly hatched bass (fry) to eat. Try live minnows or worms, both work well.

Pillsbury Lake – The lake at the top of the mountain is the most beautiful lake in our area. While the drive isn’t the best, it’s worth the trip, especially if you can set aside a few days to camp. Trout fishing has been rated fair to good lately. Warmer water temperatures are allowing trout to move down into deeper water. Troll the east side of the lake with your downrigger set to 20 to 25 feet. Use a flasher and follow it with a worm. Bass fishing has been pretty good. Most anglers are catching four to twelve bass per trip. Fish the surface early in the morning, then switch to plastic fishing lures, swimbaits or crankbaits. No matter what species of fish you’re after, the early morning hours are best.

Lake Sonoma – How about some salmon fishing in Lake Sonoma? Yes, you read that right. There are plenty of salmon confined to the lake. Anglers catch them by trolling a flasher lure with a Little Cleo. The trick is to troll at 1.5 miles per hour. Sounds like fun, right?

Bass fishing has been good lately. As with most lakes in our area, there is a good surface bite early in the morning. Cast a plug or frog around submerged trees and along weed lines. Later in the morning, switch to a Baby Brushog, Sweet Beaver or dropshooting with a wacky hook worm.

FYI – Just in time for the 4th of July weekend – last week the California Department of Fish and Wildlife stocked Moura Pond with rainbow trout.

Thanks for reading and remember to keep it discreet. Don 4reelfishin.com