About Clear Lake

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Clear Lake - Climate and Hydrology Info

When is the best time to fish Clear Lake?

Lake County info for visitors - Lake County Visitors Page

Latest Fishing Reports & Lake Info

The Old Lake

Clear Lake is thought to be the oldest lake in North America - scientists suspect it has existed for nearly 500,000 years. Along the lake’s south shore is Mount Konocti, a volcano that last erupted around 10,000 years ago. At its base is a part of the lake known as “Soda Bay” where you can see geothermal gasses bubbling to the surface - a subtle reminder that the volcanic field is still very much active.

Prior to the 19th century, the Pomo people inhabited much of the land around Clear Lake. Then, the lake was also much larger, extending further to the north towards present-day Upper Lake, and further south into the floodplain around present-day Finley and Kelseyville.

Today, the lake is still massive, with a total surface area of over 60 square miles. Around the lake are various small towns, including Lakeport, Lucerne, Kelseyville, and the city of Clearlake.

The Fishing

Clear Lake is widely regarded as one of the top bass fishing lakes in the nation, and has been nicknamed the “Bass Capital” of the Western US. In 2020, Bassmaster magazine named Clear Lake the #1 best bass lake of the last decade. The lake’s generally shallow water, diverse habitat, and ample food supply create a perfect ecosystem to support a healthy bass population. For this reason, many anglers refer to Clear Lake as “The Bass Factory”.

Every year Clear Lake is a stop on numerous bass tournament trails, including the Wild West Bass Trail, NewJen, WON Bass, and occasionally high profile BASS or FLW events. These events can bring hundreds of boats and anglers in from all over the nation.

Anglers of all skill levels come to fish this lake, and many of them leave scratching their heads. “I thought this was the Bass Factory?”, they say.

People arrive here thinking you can throw just about anything and start catching bass; the truth is, it’s often the opposite. The Florida-strain largemouth bass in Clear Lake are notoriously fussy - even though you can see them practically everywhere, it often takes some work to get them to bite. That’s where hiring an experienced guide comes into play - I can provide the tools, knowledge and instruction so you can fish Clear Lake confidently.

In addition to largemouth bass, Clear Lake is also home to a number of other fish species, including channel catfish, crappie, bluegill, common carp, tule perch, hitch, and even a very small population of smallmouth bass!

What is there to do in Lake County, besides fish?

Lake County has tons of opportunities for fun, both on and off the water!

Second to bass fishing, Lake County is probably best known for its wineries. There are several of them around the lake, and you can arrange for wine tours as well.

Boats and kayaks can be rented at various spots around the lake, or you can hire me for a lake tour! You can also hike to the top of Mount Konocti for some incredible views.

See more fun stuff to see & do in the Lake County Visitors Page.