September 6, 2001 The catfishing is holding it's own in the Clearlake arm and has improved in the Clearlake Oaks arm. Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks 707-998-1006 says they are averaging 3 to 4 fish per boat running around 6 to 10 pounds and the fish are falling for cut mackerel and live crawdads. Rattlesnake Island and Horseshoe Bend are the hot spots. They are catching a few nice fish in the 10 to 15 pound range with mackerel off the M & M Campground shoreline. Brad Farrin of Don's Bait & Tackle in Clearlake 707-995-9668 says it hasn't changed much since last week. Most anglers are still catching 3 to 4 fish in the 7 to 15 pound range per outing at Cache Creek, Monitor Island and Bass Alley with chicken livers and live crawdads. Clams and mini-crawlers are still accounting for quite a few pan sized cats running 2 to 3 pounds. Ed Ott of Ed's Market in Nice 707-274-8029 reports quite a few fish taken off docks and beaches in the Nice/Lucerne area with nightcrawlers, the fish are running around 8 to 14 pounds with a few 15 to 18's as well.   September 13, 2001 The catfishing is rated fair in the south end of the lake and a little tougher in the north end. Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks 707-998-1006 says most boats are returning from 3 or 4 hour sessions with 2 to 3 cats per angler running 5 to 10 pounds. They are using live crawdads and fresh clams off the southeast end of Rattlesnake Island. Shore fishermen are catching a few nice fish in the 8 to 16 pound range off M & M Campground with nightcrawlers and mackerel. I caught a 16 pounder there last Saturday afternoon with a strawberry doughball. Brad Farrin of Don's Bait & Tackle in Clearlake 707-995-9668 reports most boats are coming in with 3 to 4 fish running 6 to10 pounds. The best spots are still the Bass Alley/Monitor Island area and the mouth of Cache Creek, the top baits are chicken livers, jumbo minnows and live crawdads. Most of the catfish in the north end of the lake are falling for nightcrawlers and clams fished off docks and beaches in the Nice/Lucerne Area and from Rocky Point to Lakeport.   September 20, 2001 The best catfish reports are coming from the Clearlake Arm of the lake partially because that's where most of the catfish anglers are fishing. Brad Farrin of Don's Bait & Tackle in Clearlake 707-995-9668 reports the best action has been drift fishing with live jumbo minnows and cut mackerel near Bass Alley in 15 to 20 feet of water at night. Most anglers are catching 7 or 8 cats running around 10 to 15 pounds for a night's effort. Three lucky catfishermen caught and released around 20 fish for a total weight of 236 pounds from the Bass Alley area. Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks 707-998-1006 says they are catching a few nice fish near Rattlesnake Island with live crawdads. Most of the fish are running around 8 to 12 pounds and most fishermen are boating 2 or 3 fish per outing. It's the same old story in the north end of the lake, nobody is giving it an honest effort. I would normally be catching a few nice cats drift fishing off the Nice/Lucerne Area at this time of year but my boat is inoperative right now and no one else is giving it a try. I truly believe that there are plenty of cooperative fish lurking in 20 to 25 feet of water from 1 to 2 miles off the Nice/Lucerne Area if only someone would go after them.   September 27, 2001 The catfishing is good to excellent in the south end of the lake but I couldn't get any reports on the north end. Brad Farrin of Don's Bait & Tackle in Clearlake 707-995-9668 says the catfishing has been excellent. Boaters drifting Jago Bay in 15 to 18 feet of water are catching 8 to 10 cats per person running from 5 to 12 pounds with live jumbo minnows. Shore fishermen using chicken livers are loading up on 2 to 4 pound channel cats at Red Bud Pier and Highlands Park. Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks 707-998-1006 reports a few nice cats being taken near Rattlesnake Island with live crawdads. Shore anglers are still catching their share near the end of M & M Campground on the lake side with live crawdads and cut mackerel. Most of the fish are running from 5 to 10 pounds each. Back to 2001 Catfish Reports