The hunt continues

Picked over Clear Lake still holds potential

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – With another round of sunny, calm conditions on tap for Clear Lake, Walmart FLW Series pros and co-anglers fishing day three of the National Guard Western Division event will face the challenge of finding fish that have not been pestered for two days.

Clear Lake is still producing encouraging numbers of fish, although Pro Division limits slipped from 73 to 60 on day two. The lake remains in the typical fall transitional state, with the lingering effects of a major cold front a couple weeks ago followed by a minor cold snap the day before this event. Baitfish and bass are on the move, so pinpointing where the feeding will occur is job No. 1.

National Guard pro Tim Klinger said he’ll start shallow with a Rat-L-Trap, move to a swimbait later in the morning and then drag a Carolina rig deep in hopes of finding bigger fish once he fills out a limit. The big challenge, Klinger said, will be making it to a quality spot ahead of competitors.

“Everywhere you go to fish, there’s already a boat sitting there,” he said. “I think there are a few guys who might have a few areas where there are not so many guys fishing, but the majority of really good spots have a lot of guys pounding the same stuff.”

While some will choose to run and gun, Klinger’s strategy will likely resonate with many of his competitors. “I’ll fish my areas more thoroughly today and try to get a good bite here and there.”

Now, the good thing about Clear Lake is its tremendous population of bass and its ability to crank out quality to trophy-size fish. The event has yet to see a 10-pounder, but California pro Mike Folkestad came close on day two with a 9-10. Currently in fifth place with 39-14, Folkestad caught his big fish on a drop-shot with a Roboworm in the Margarita Mutilator color.

Today, Folkestad will continue throwing his drop-shot, along with a jig in 15 to 25 feet of water. He’ll fish both ends of the lake and hit upwards of 30 spots. He’s not expecting a lot of netting, but his is a strategy of quality over quantity.

“I’m struggling every day,” Folkestad said. “I’m only getting eight or nine keepers a day. I’m fishing really slowly, and when you get a bite, it’s always a good fish. I’m just fishing for the better fish. I’m not fishing the bank at all.”

Folkestad described his ideal spot: “The spot has to have rock on it, a good break that falls off where the bass have good deep water access so they can move up on the point and feed and then go back out.”

In the Pro Division, Randy Mcabee Jr. holds the top spot by a 5-pound margin with 46-7. The leader since day one, Mcabee had fewer bites on day two and had to abandon the swimbait he used on day one in favor a deep-diving crankbait. Second-place pro Jared Lintner also reported scraping around for fish.

Co-angler Mark Smith has been red hot. He has also led his division since day one, and his first round catch of 27-10 stands as the biggest of the event. Incredibly, his totals have eclipsed Mcabee’s. Smith has caught his fish by slowly dragging plastics in deep water. Drawing pros whose tactics allowed him a broad window of opportunity has been essential, but even if Smith is taken completely out of his game today, it will be difficult for anyone to overcome the 11-pound, 10-ounce lead he holds.

Logistics

Anglers will take off from Konocti Harbor Resort, located at 8727 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville, Calif., at 7:30 Friday morning. Saturday, anglers take off from Redbud Park, located at 14655 Lakeshore Drive in Clear Lake, Calif. Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at Konocti Harbor Resort beginning at 3:00 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Walmart store located at 15960 Dam Road in Clear Lake, beginning at 4 p.m.

Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday’s weigh-in at Walmart from noon to 4 p.m. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include a trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. The Fun Zone will also include fishing seminars from the National Guard pros, rod and reel giveaways and a drawing for a $300 Walmart gift card. All activities are free and open to the public.

The entire field competes for the first three days of FLW Series events. Co-angler winners are determined on day three based on the heaviest accumulated three-day weight. The top 10 professionals continue competition on day four, and the winner is determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.

Friday’s conditions

Sunrise: 7:30 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 52 degrees

Expected high temperature: 78 degrees

Water temperature: 63-65 degrees

Wind: NE at 5-7 mph

Max. humidity: 75 percent

Day’s outlook: partly cloudy, sunny later