While bass may be down deep this time of year, it isn’t long before spring and warmer temperatures lure the lunkers up toward the surface with ferocious appetites. This article can help you get your heart-racing just thinking about the next season and all the fun you will have trying out these locations.
The author of a recent article in fishingaddictsnorthwest.com describes some great bass fishing waters that may not be close to home but promise a premier experience.
He suggests that their favorite home waters have some great bass lurking in the shadows, but living in the Pacific Northwest puts anglers in an ideal position to head for waters that are a little more distant.
The author said that on recent trips to Tenmile Lake near the Oregon Coast, the Snake River near Lewiston/Clarkston, points East in the Columbia Gorge, the John Day and down to Clear Lake, California have reminded him that a little travel and discovery can add to the fun of pursuing Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. He said, “Besides taking in new sights and new country, it is also a great way to improve your skill at studying, evaluating and attacking new lakes and streams. With each new experience you add to your arsenal of knowledge and learn useful ways to quickly unlock the secrets of unfamiliar lakes and streams.”
Clear Lake, a renowned Mecca for Big Bass chasers.
Here is the author’s write up about Clear Lake in California.
I recently spent a week at Clear Lake, a renowned Mecca for Big Bass chasers.
Sure enough, my buddy and I found good numbers of big fish. I had anticipated using the classic, very large, realistic swimbaits popularized by Clear Lake experts and had a big Castaic rainbow trout, a light Hitch (common baitfish here), and some good Yum Money Minnows tied on and ready to go.
As it turned out the good Spring swimbait bite was over and nothing touched my monster-sized swimbaits, but by using them as small swimbaits I was able to inflict major damage using Gary Yamamoto curl-tailed grubs. I had a blast using electronics to find fish hanging near a depth change or underwater stump, targeting them and hooking fish right where I knew they were hiding. I also used some crankbaits (Caught a really nice fish just as my Brother-in-Law flew over with my Wife in his airplane!), some stickbaits and for several days there was also a tremendous spinnerbait bite.
I was really shocked when after scoping out a rock ledge extending out from shore in about 4 feet of water and smacking some good-sized Largemouth on my magnum size home-built twin-blade spinnerbait, I got such a tremendous hit that it strained my wrist and completely doubled my tough, 5 power rod. I can estimate a fish’s weight pretty well and in the first few moments of this fight I was convinced that what I had was the new world record for Largemouth Bass. But as the fight went on and I didn’t feel the familiar head-shakes or lunges, as the fish stayed deep and didn’t offer to come up, it occurred to me that this was probably a big catfish. Sure enough once I got him up close enough for a look, there was a monster cat. He slimed my line about four feet up from the bait and hung out both sides of the net when my buddy helped get him in the boat. I got the bait out and held him up for a picture, then released that big bruiser. Panting and sweating, I remarked to my friend: “Well, you’ll never see that again in a million years,” and of course, a few casts later he got another big cat! They were obviously chasing baitfish up on that rocky shelf, just like the Bass. Sheesh! Enough to fry your brains! But the Bass fishing was everything we could have asked for at Clear Lake and I marveled at fishing past islands with palm trees. It was a great trip and our timing was good too, since we just beat the dreaded algae bloom that starts in early to mid July and can really choke the water.
http://www.fishingaddictsnorthwest.com/premier-northwest-bass-fishing/
