Clear Lake getaway (June 17-19)

Headed up to the State Park with XSquid (Kevin) and his buddy James to try for some of those football shaped Clear Lake bass...

The topwater bite was pretty good, with frogs, spooks, and sammies being the effective producers.  Senkos and drop-shotted worms also worked well.  My first fish was on a senko and I gave it my best Hydro pose (pic 1).  My best fish, 6.5 pounds, came Thursday morning on a frog worked in open shallow water (pic 2).   When the topwater bite cooled off, I eventually got the drop-shot working and nailed some nice fish (pics 3-5).  I also saw my first Osprey (pic 6)...cool looking bird, and a way better fish catcher than I am for sure...

XSquid, thanks for setting up the trip and the awesome tacos last night...it was a great getaway, and a trip I hope to make again.

Right on Bryan, good time for sure.  You had the stick this time.  Too bad that place is only a once or twice a year gig.  I'll put up some pics a bit later after I put some of the crap away!

Wait, who authorized a furlough from the delta...? 

Nice going with the CL bass. 

great job HB! thanks for the topwater report
sorry I couldnt join you guys

Yea! There goes the hat I've missed from you Bryan. WTG on the largemouth bass
bro. Talk about a professional bass fisherman, you could be anywhere with
artificials and nail' em each time.

Jedmo

  Thanks for the great report and pics!  I have been trying to get up to clear lake for weeks!  I appreciate the tackle advise as well!

Here are some scenery shots along with a couple victims.

Very solid hookups as usual. I'm dying to get some time off to get back up there with my boys.

Freddie

Hey Kevin and Bryan, nice shots and really nice weather. Like glass out there. Great report. I'm envious. Bryan you must have a lot of fishing time now that schools out for summer.

  By the way, your first Osprey?  Where the heck have you been hiding that you have not seen Oprey?  I had my new vid cam up at Berryessa and this nest is very near where I like to fish.  Sorry about the wind noise, I haven't found the time yet to figure out how to put REO Speedwagon to he vids!

They are pretty cool to watch for a while.  One  flew off while we were fishing and returned with some unlucky critter in it's claws.

  I am not sure how everybody else feels, but for me there seems to some sort of kinship between Osprey and us fisherman.  They hunt in solo but return food to their mates (which I believe they keep for life, unlike some of us!).  There is something about the call they make that seems to resonate in me, and connects us to a simpler time and spans many years of fishing these waters.   I truly enjoy having the Osprey around me at Berryessa when I fish. 

Congrats on the fish!!!! Looks like a great day!! Seeing extra wildlife is always a bonus!!!

Badog

looks like a great trip guys, hobie you got the look away hydrospider pose down, cameron

Awesome report and pics, guys.  I wish I could have joined you. I went there once and was "hooked".