Ask a NorCal kayak angler where the biggest bass in the state live and Clear Lake is the answer you'll hear most. The Yak-A-Bass results back it up: ten tournaments here since 2017, and the lake's signature event isn't a limit derby at all — it's a big-fish shootout.
Where to launch
Lakeport city ramps, at the foot of First, Third, and Fifth Streets in downtown Lakeport (Fifth Street ramp: 39.0453, -122.9193, next to Library Park at 39.0430, -122.9136). Seven lanes total and — rare for California — launching is free, with free vehicle and trailer parking steps from the water, per the City of Lakeport.
Redbud Park, 14655 Ballpark Ave, Clearlake (38.9490, -122.6344) covers the south end. City-run ramp with pier, restrooms, and truck-and-trailer parking; the city doesn't publish launch fees online, so call Parks & Rec at (707) 994-8201 before you count on it.
Several club events here have been 'open launch' — pick your ramp anywhere on the lake. That turns launch choice into strategy: Clear Lake is California's largest natural freshwater lake at 68 square miles, and you can't paddle out of a bad decision.
The Chris Laird Memorial: August, one big bite
The club's flagship Clear Lake event is the Chris Laird Memorial, a big-fish format fished nearly every August since 2019. Six runnings in the data, won by a single bass measuring 22.5 (2019), 24.0 (2020), 23.5 (2021), 22.0 (2022), 23.25 (2024), and 24.5 inches (2025, Kyle Murphy). Fields run 78 to 106 kayaks. That's the honest math of August on Clear Lake: one giant beats a hundred good fish.
What full limits look like
When the format is a limit, Clear Lake produces heavyweights. The June 2021 West Coast Championship event took 117.25 inches over six bass to win (York Sell), with fifth place at 113.75 — the tightest big-number leaderboard in the club's dataset. In May 2026, Matthew Brannon won the WCC qualifier with 101.75 inches over five, against a 23.75-inch event big fish.
The takeaway from ten events: from late spring on, every bite here can be the tournament. Fish accordingly — heavier line, bigger profiles, and land what you hook.
