Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Clear Lake, CA (A Guide)
Clear Lake offers some of the best bass fishing on earth drawing in thousands of anglers from across the country. Knowing the best times and seasons to fish Clear Lake can help you land your PB bass.
Clear Lake offers great bass fishing year-round but spring and fall tend to offer the best and most consistent bass fishing. Bass weighing more than 10 pounds are also often caught in the winter.
Clear Lake has got the reputation of being one of the top bass lakes in the United States. The lake has the ideal conditions for growing huge bass.
Best Times to Fish Clear Lake
The waters of Clear Lakes are full of largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Spring is the best time of the year to fish for bass. A lot of bass can be found in the shallow waters during the spring months. Anglers, who use a fly fishing technique, get the best results between June and October.
Clear Lake bass fishing is the most productive in the early mornings and late evenings. Bass bites well when light is reduced. Fish the lake either between dawn and 2 hours after sunrise or between 2 hours before sunset until dusk.
Bass has been always the main target for anglers, who fish the lake. Clear Lake offers excellent bass fishing opportunities. In addition to bass, anglers can catch other species such as bluegill, catfish, carp, and crappie.
Seasinal Fishing Guide: Best Times
Winter
The air temperatures in California range between 40°F (4.4°C) and 50°F (10°C) during the winter months. The average water temperature in Clear Lake in winter is 50°F (10°C).
Bass is inactive in cold water. That’s why Clear Lake bass fishing can be challenging during the winter months. It’s incredibly important for an angler to be patient to catch a winter bass in Clear Lake. And of course, fishermen have to work hard to get effective results during the cold winter months.
In winter, anglers should go fishing on Clear Lake in the late afternoon when water is getting warmer. The rainiest season in California starts in winter and lasts until the early spring. So, anglers should always check the weather forecast when planning their winter fishing adventures on Clear Lake.
Winter storms have an impact on Clear Lake fishing. Storms usually begin with arrival of warm air. That’s why bass often bites well before a storm. Storms make fishing impossible. Bass is inactive during the storms. Anglers should wait 1 – 2 days before going fishing after storms.
Bass usually goes to the deep waters during the winter months. Fishermen choose to use worm lures when fishing bass in winter. Baits like a plastic worm, dart head worm, drop-shot worm, and a shakey head trick worm work well. When catching bass in winter, anglers should aim to fish slowly and thoroughly. Search for bass on different depths.
Spring
The average air temperature in California is 57°F (14°C) during the spring months. The average water temperature in Clear Lake in spring is 59°F (15°C).
Spring is the time when bass are spawning. The spawning season for bass starts in the middle of March and lasts until the end of May. Bass actively feed before spawning. So, fishermen can expect for good catches at this time of the year. Anglers can catch bass of small and big size during the springtime.
Bass in Clear Lake bites well in the middle of a day during the spring months. Bass move in big schools and get closer to shores during the spring months. Anglers should target bass in shallow areas of the lake in spring.
There are almost no rains and storms in California in spring. Slow-moving baits work very well for bass in the early spring. Anglers should use rip baits as well as spinnerbaits and make long pauses to catch bass.
Summer
The air temperatures in California range between 67°F (19°C) and 97°F (36°C) during the summer months. The average water temperature in Clear Lake in summer is 75°F (24°C).
Summer is a great time to explore Clear Lake and enjoy bass fishing. Oftentimes, fishermen catch a giant bass on the lake in summer. Bass goes to the shade spots on hot summer days. Anglers achieve success in bass fishing if they know where to search for bass on the lake during the summer months.
Oftentimes, bass bite well at first light in summer. That’s why anglers should go fishing early in the morning. Also, it’s possible to catch bass late in the evening or at night.
Summer is usually dry in California. The weather is hot and there is no rain in the Clear Lake area. Bass can be found in shallow waters in summer. Bass can also go to deep waters if the weather is too hot.
During the summer months, anglers should aim to target bass in the areas near trees and docks. Bass go to these spots to avoid the summer heat. Buzz baits and frogs work well.
Fall
The air temperatures in California range between 50°F (10°C) and 84°F (29°C) during the fall months. The average water temperature in Clear Lake in fall is 68°F (20°C).
Early fall offers excellent bass fishing opportunities on Clear Lake. Bass actively feeds in the lake in September. So, anglers find it easy to catch it. However, water cools down and bass is becoming less active. When catching fall bass in Clear Lake, anglers should try to find the areas with grass.
Anglers should go fishing on Clear Lake in the middle of the day. The sun is at its highest, water is getting warmer and the activity of fish increases.
The weather is not rainy in California in the fall. So, anglers find it comfortable to fish the lake. Bass can be caught in shallow waters and deep waters during the fall months. A jig is an effective fishing technique that works for Clear Lake bass very well in the fall.
Monthly Breakdown: Clear Lake
January
Bass fishing on Clear Lake can be very productive. Despite the fact that the water is cold, bass are actively feeding and chances to catch a trophy are high. The best time of the day to fish Clear Lake is between 2 p.m. and sunset. Bass groups up and goes to deep waters during the winter months.
February
Due to cold weather, fish in Clear Lake is usually inactive in February. So, anglers may find it difficult to get a bite of bass. However, bass fishing can be excellent during sunny days. Anglers often get good results in the early morning. A lot of bass can be found in deep waters.
March
Days are getting longer in Clear Lake in March and this has a profound positive impact on bass fishing. Clear Lake bass fishing is great in the early spring. March is a pre-spawn season for bass in the lake. Anglers should go fishing for bass in the early morning. At this time of the year, bass moves from deep waters to shallow waters.
April
The weather is getting warmer and bass is moving to shore in April. Bass can be found in the spawning areas. When targeting bass, anglers should check shallow waters. Also, bass can be found in the deeper waters in the southern part of the lake. You can fish for bass early in the morning or in the late afternoon.
May
Bass is actively feeding on warm calm days. Bass is moving to shore and fishing is becoming more successful. It’s possible to catch bass in the early morning, afternoon, and late evening. Anglers should search for bass in shallow waters in May.
June
Warmer temperatures create better fishing opportunities for anglers, who choose to target bass in Clear Lake. Go fishing in the morning to catch bass in the lake in June. Fish go to the deeper areas this month.
July
Water is clear in the lake in July. Water clarity creates great bass fishing opportunities for anglers. It’s time to target a school of bass. It’s possible to enjoy Clear Lake bass fishing in the early morning, late evening, and at night in July.
August
Anglers get many bites of bass in August. Now, it’s a great time to use topwater baits. The baits of this type allow anglers to catch a big fish. Clear Lake bass can be found in shallow waters and deep waters this month. Fishing is the most productive around dawn and dusk.
September
Water in Clear Lake is cooler during the morning and evening hours in September. The nights are cooler as well. Cooler waters are a signal for bass. Fish begin to feed actively and prepare for winter. Bass groups ups in small areas. Fish move and can be found in shallow and deep waters. Go fishing for bass in the afternoon.
October
The lake continues to cool down and fish becomes less active in October. Bass moves to deep waters. Anglers can experience fly fishing this month. Fishermen can visit the lake in the afternoon.
November
Bass fishing is not very productive on Clear Lake in November. However, anglers can still get bites of bass. Fishing can be good during warm days. The best time of day to fish the lake is between afternoon and late evening. Anglers should target bass in deep waters.
December
Bass is usually inactive in Clear Lake in December. Nevertheless, it’s still possible to get bites. Go fishing between afternoon and sunset to catch bass in the lake in December. It’s a good idea to target bass in deep waters during the cold days.
Lake Okeechobee Species Breakdown
Largemouth Bass
The vast majority of anglers choose to target largemouth bass in Clear Lake. The lake impresses fishermen with its abundance of largemouth bass. The lake attracts anglers, who are interested in catching a lot of bass as well as a trophy bass.
It’s possible to catch largemouth bass at any time of the year. However, anglers get the best results during the spring months. Largemouth bass bites well at dawn and at dusk.
Bluegill
The waters of Clear Lake are full of bluegill. Catching bluegill is an exciting and fun activity. Spring and early summer is the best time of the year to fish for bluegill. Bluegills bite well in the early morning.
Crappie
Anglers can also target crappie in Clear Lake. Crappie is an easy-to-catch fish. So, anglers and beginners find it easy to fish for crappies. Crappie actively feeds in spring. Crappies bite well between midnight and afternoon.
Carp
Sometimes anglers catch carp in Clear Lake. Carp is a strong fish and it’s hard to catch it. Catching carp is not easy. Carp is active between May and October. Carp bites well in the morning and evening.
Catfish
It’s also possible to catch catfish during Clear Lake fishing trips. Catfish can be found in shallow waters during the spring and fall months. Catfish goes to deep waters in summer. Anglers get a lot of bites at night.
Charters & Fishing Guides: Lake Okeechobee
– Best season to book
Anglers can catch bass in Clear Lake year-round. However, bass fishing is very good between March and early October. Traditionally, a lot of anglers choose to visit the lake in summer. Booking a fishing charter can be hard during the summer months. It makes sense to book a trip in spring. Bass fishing on Clear Lake is excellent in March and April, but the demand for fishing is lower.
– Time of day to book trip
Morning fishing is very productive in summer. Water cools down and the activity of fish increases in the morning. When fishing in the morning during hot summer months, anglers can avoid heat. On the other hand, fishermen have to wake up early. Also, fish may not bite well during the morning hours in spring and fall.
It’s a good idea to fish the lake in the middle of the day in spring, fall, and winter. The water warms up and the activity of fish increases. Also, anglers don’t need to wake up early. However, it can be too hot to fish in the middle of the day during the summer months.
Anglers can also start a fishing trip during afternoon hours. Oftentimes, bass feed actively in the evening. You don’t need to wake up early. Also, you’ll manage to avoid summer heat if you choose to go fishing in the afternoon.
Full-day trips allow anglers to spend a day on the water and get the most out of fishing on Clear Lake. The chances to catch a trophy fish are high during such a trip.
– Best and worst days of the week to book a trip
Go fishing during weekdays to avoid crowds. A lot of fishermen visit Clear Lake and there are so many boats on the water on weekends.
Bass fishing tournaments take place on the lake annually. Scheduled bass fishing tournaments are held during the fall months. Such events last several days. Bass may not bite after tournaments. So, wait a couple of weeks before going fishing. Bass will get back to normal life after tournaments and start feeding actively again.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Lake Fork, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Lake Okeechobee, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in California, please check out this helpful guide.
