Catching Crappie in Clear Lake
One of the largest freshwater lakes in California that's completely within the borders is called Clear Lake and it's located in Lake County.
This lake is believed to be one of the oldest found in North America and it covers 43,000 acres of surface area. It has eleven public boat ramps making it easy to find a place to launch your vessel.
There are many parks that offer campsites with public facilities and visitor centers where you can gather important information. The crappie fishing in this lake is excellent and the view is beautiful.
The Clear Lake State Park is very popular for its fishing and other water activities. It's one of the first places visitors go when in this area because it is so well-known for being a wonderful place to visit.
It's perfect for the angler and there are many other things to do to keep friends and family members busy that are not into fishing for crappie. Therefore, it's a great place to go on vacation.
Clear Lake Crappie Fishing Tips
Fishing for crappies in Clear Lake is fun and exciting but the following tips can make your fishing trip more productive.
Unlike other areas many anglers have discovered that fishing on Clear Lake can be very productive even when fishing in the winter for crappie. In fact, they are usually as easy to catch in the winter as they are in the spring and fall.
Normally, the best time to fish for crappies is during the night time hours but this is one species that can be caught anytime if you use the right gear and present it correctly.
You simply have to use bait they are attracted to and get their attention. Fishing from piers at night is a good choice because the crappie will gather together under the lights that reflect in the water. The lights draw baitfish to the area that attracts the crappie, which draws them into the area that's lit up.
When it comes to gear you don't need any fancy equipment to catch this species or to fish Clear Lake. A light action spinning rod and reel is an excellent choice that will work great.
Use live minnows for the best results. If you don't have this option then artificial lures that resemble minnows is the next best choice. Jigs are probably the most common bait used for crappie fishing because they are the easiest to use and they work great.
When presenting your bait try to make it follow the same path that a real minnow would take. If you make your bait appear to be acting un-naturally, the crappie will avoid it. Therefore, presentation is very important.
Look for the creek channels coming into the lake for good spots to catch crappie because the water here stays a steady temperature most of time. These are also the areas that the crappies travel frequently and it's usually filled with baitfish.
As with any species the spawning season is the best time to go crappie fishing on Clear Lake. This is the time of year when they feed the most actively and aggressively.
They are moving into the warm water, their hungry and searching for a place to nest. Search for them around structures and in the shallow water during this time.
Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is committed to providing the best crappie fishing information possible. Get more information on crappie fishing here: http://www.askcrappiefishing.com/