Clear Lake bass movement

Rich hamilton · Post by **Rich hamilton** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:00 am

Just looking for thoughts on Bass migration on Clear lake. Specifically winter to spring and do north fish stay north and do south fish spend their lives down south etc. When do fish migrate to rodman and anderson marsh?

Was wondering the affects of tournament locations (lakeport/redbud/old Konocti resort) and the fish population as a result of tournament weigh in sites.

Thanks in advance, Rich

SteveRamos · Post by **SteveRamos** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:29 am

I am not sure there have been any official studies on this lake but it is well documented that Bass do have a "home range". It makes sense that if forage and cover are available they won't move far. If the forage and cover change location - so will the bass. I know for Clearlake the cover changes with the seasons - weed die off in Fall and Winter and begin growing again in the late winter and spring so this has an effect on location. Tule in deeper water provide cover and forage. Many baitfish eat zooplankton and other small organism which can be readily found around tules so as long as the water temperature is reasonable and stable you might find fish in these locations too. Tournaments do often go out of Lakeport so a lot of fish re-location does happen and would doubt it if a bass is going to swim all the back to Redbud from Lakeport - more likely to shack up in the North.

Rich hamilton · Post by **Rich hamilton** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:13 am

Great points, so if they are feeding on hitch, baby carp, silversides, crawdads, etc they are going to stay in that area. I cant see a bass swimming 19 miles for food. The impact of tournaments and fish movement could make a big difference year to year. Seems like water temperature has a lot to do with the activity as well.

So it is safe to say that the fish that live up north you might have to figure out what they will eat and react to and activity period versus the fish down south in deeper areas you have to figure out depth, activity period, type of cover and forage?

Larry Hemphill · Post by **Larry Hemphill** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 12:10 pm

I am very concerned about the current and future situation at Clear Lake now that Konocti Resort and Spa is closed. During a 3 week period in October, some 450+ bass boats emptied their live wells at Konocti Vista. This will repeat itself possibly for years as Konocti Resort probably won't reopen for some time. A release boat takes the bass off-shore somewhere and dumps them. Has a release boat ever made it back to the Rattlesnake (Oaks) arm? Or what about Red Bud? Do we need to pay more to have these boats move some of the bass back south - if water conditions permit? This mass bass migration via livewells happened in the 80's - destination - the Skylark Motel - headquarters for most tournaments then. Fishing slowed a bit in the south end then and pressure was nothing then like it is today. Just look at the tournament weights for 2010 - down, and with few really big bass. This certainly has a lot to do with the absence of shad, but the tremendous relocation of bass and tournament pressure during the spawn (taking bass off the nests) is something that intelligent, cool heads need to look at long term. Future generations deserve the fine fisheries that we almost have taken for granted!!!

SteveRamos · Post by **SteveRamos** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 12:18 pm

Really good point Larry. It could be that the forage base in the North cannot support the additional fish that are relocated and is stunting growth and numbers?

I for one would gladly pay an extra reasonable fee to spread the fish around. 100 boats times $10 would certainly cover fuel and time to make this a better system.

mac (Doyle McEwen) · Post by **mac (Doyle McEwen)** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 12:25 pm

I am not an expert by any definition, but numerous studies have been done on numerous bodies of water and they all pretty much say there will be some transference of fish from one area to another due to tournament fishing and catch and release..Exactly how much is subject to which study you choose to read..If you were to catch a limit of bass on the south end and then weigh them in and release them on the north end, some of them and possibly all of them will eventually return to their home water..It could take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks to accomplish this trip..If there is sufficient food and cover in their new water they may opt to stay there..In other words the choice is really up to the individual fish and the current enviromental aspects of the water during the tournament and where the fish are being released..If a bass doesn't like the conditions where they are or where they are released they will move..How far and how fast is always subject to debate..

mac

Rich hamilton · Post by **Rich hamilton** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 1:37 pm

I think when we went out of konocti and released the fish there it really changed the lake. I think it spread the fish out a little more. I was wondering about these affects and traditional areas of the lake that produced good fish. Tournament activity out of redbud= good populations of spawn and fish for Anderson, the keys and bass alley areas.
Tournaments out of library park= good populations of spawn and fish for the state park and Rodman areas. No central release site so does that mean unless fish are seeking forage and specific cover, areas like Henderson, Shag, Kona Tayee etc will not be as prolific as they once were? I really would like to know how far a school will travel. We all know spots would circle the lake in a day and call it a wrap!

Larry Hemphill · Post by **Larry Hemphill** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:02 pm

Rich - you said what I forgot to say. Spots and smallies are supposed to be the "mobile" families of bass. They do relocate and travel great distances. It is the largemouth that I am speaking of - which I should have indicated. They seem to make the best of where they were born, or released, especially at a lake or big pond with somewhat of a constant water level. Reservoirs like Oroville are a different story of course with major water level changes. Studies have shown that a largemouth's movements tend to be shallow to deep to shallow - in the same general area. They are mostly affected by seasonal movements like spring spawn, fall roam.

mac (Doyle McEwen) · Post by **mac (Doyle McEwen)** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:17 pm

Rich it has always been my understanding larger largemouths do not school as much as do spots or smallies..This isn't to say some schooling doesn't occur, but it is most often found with younger and smaller largemouths..I would also tend to believe when it comes to relocation, in an environment such as the Delta, with tides and stronger currents, fish would not be as likely to return to their home stomping grounds when they have to fight the currents and such to get there, at least, to me, it would seem that way for those that would be required to swim upstream for any distance..In a nearly closed system such as Clearlake, I do not think current would be near the factor, and obviously tides wouldn't be a factor at all..

mac

roaroar · Post by **roaroar** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 3:17 pm

I just wanted to say thanks for all the guys adding to this topic. It is refreshing to actually learn something instead of who can argue the most. I feel this discussion is what forums should be about.

thanks again,
roaroar

ken a · Post by **ken a** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 7:33 pm

Has anyone suggested a tag system to determine if indeed the fish do migrate the distance?

mac (Doyle McEwen) · Post by **mac (Doyle McEwen)** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:43 pm

I don't remember such a study being done at Clearlake, but I have read of several such studies at other lakes in other states..They pretty much bear out what I previously posted as far as released bass goes..I know there have also been studies done with tagged fish on the Delta, I imagine you can contact DFG and get what results they have formulated..

mac

SteveRamos · Post by **SteveRamos** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:32 am

http://afsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1577/ ... 59(1949)79[155:ROSTSO]2.0.CO;2

Results of some Tagging Studies of the Florida Largemouth Bass Micropterus Salmoides Floridanus (LeSueur)
John F. Dequine and Charles E. Hall Jr.
Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee, Florida

Abstract

As part of a migration study 1,616 Florida largemouth bass were tagged in six large connected lakes in central Florida. Three-hundred-seventy (22.9 percent) were reported recaptured by hook and line fishing. Some movement occurred between the lakes but no pattern of migration was discernible.

Average interval between release and recapture was 14.7 weeks. More than 84 percent of those recaptured had not moved more than 5 miles from the point of release. Maximum distance traveled was 12.5 miles.

Attempts to obtain growth-rate data on tagged fish failed. Mortality from handling was considered negligible. No significant correlation was found between total length and chances for recapture.