SACRAMENTO >> One of the largest fishing tournaments to be held on Clear Lake, or even in California, as the 39th Annual Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven derby gets underway on Friday.
The derby has been in existence for 38 years. As in past years the three day derby is expected to draw nearly 1,000 fishermen from throughout the West. It is the largest catfish derby in the West and remains one of the more popular fishing contests to be held on Clear Lake. Last year's winner was Jeremy Cain with a 25.8 pound catfish. The winner of this year's derby will take home a cash prize of approximately $5,000. Second place is worth $1,000 and third place is worth $800. The derby will pay down 20 places based on a field of least 350 adults. The winner in the kids division will pocket $100. The derby hours are from noon on Friday until noon on Sunday. The entry fee for the derby is $50 for adults if received before 11:00 p.m. on Thursday. There is a $10 late fee for entries received after that time. The entry fee for children 15 and under is $10. Fishermen can also sign up for the derby at the Clearlake Oaks Plaza at 12483 Foothill Blvd., Clearlake Oaks.
The fishermen can fish 24 hours during the official derby hours of noon on Friday until noon on Sunday. Each fisherman will be allowed to weigh in one catfish. If they catch a larger one, that fish will replace the previous fish. Any type of bait may be used and that includes live minnows, cut bait and nightcrawlers. Only live catfish can be weighed in and the top three finishers must successfully pass a lie detector test.
Clear Lake has three species of catfish, the channel catfish, the white catfish and the brown bullhead. It is the large channel catfish that the fishermen in the derby will be targeting. The lake record for channel catfish is 33.33 pounds and the world record is 58 pounds.
Catfish aren't native to Clear Lake or even the West. The first channel catfish were bought to California from Mississippi in 1874 and were stocked in the San Joaquin River. Catfish were first put in Clear Lake around 1910. They are thought to have been in North America for at least 3,000 years
Unlike other members of the catfish family, the channel catfish seeks out hollow logs or holes around submerged rocks to spawn. At Clear Lake many of the channel catfish spawn in the hundreds of submerged tires that are strewn across the bottom. The ideal water temperature for spawning is about 70 degrees and the eggs hatch in 5-10 days. Young catfish eat mostly insects, small crayfish or other small fish. They will even eat seeds
The channel catfish reaches sexual maturity at about five years of age and they can live as long as 25 years. With the exception of man, an adult catfish has very few enemies.
Back in the 1960s and 70s, catfish were the top game fish in Clear Lake. Fishermen would spend hours anchored near Rattlesnake Island and other favored catfish holes. In those days it wasn't unusual for an angler to catch 20 to 30 fish during a single outing. The Department of Fish and Game placed large concrete culverts in the lake as spawning habitat for the channel catfish. For several years the project was successful and during the spring spawning season just about every culvert would have several spawning catfish.
Even though bass have replaced catfish as the most popular fish in Clear Lake there are still a few dedicated souls who haven't given up on one of America's most popular game fish. They will rig up with jumbo minnows or cut bait and drift with the currents over their favorite holes looking for that big bite.
The type of fishermen now visiting Clear Lake has also changed with the times. Where once it was the cat fisherman chugging out across the lake in his 12-foot aluminum boat heading for his favorite fishing spot, now there are the bass fishermen in their high-speed bass boats roaring across the lake at speeds in excess of 60 mph.
Bass may have replaced catfish as the preferred fish in the lake, but once a year, during the derby, the catfish reigns supreme. Entry forms and the complete rules for derby can be obtained from the Web site at www.clearlakeoaks.org. For more information call (707) 596-0248.
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