Clear Lake (Kalifornien)

Clear Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in California with 68 square miles of surface area. Lakes have existed at the site of Clear Lake for at least 2,500,000 years, possibly making it the oldest lake in North America. It is located in Lake County, north of Napa County and San Francisco.Known as the "Bass Capital of the West," Clear Lake supports large populations of bass, crappie, bluegill, carp and catfish. Two-thirds of the fish caught in Clear Lake are largemouth bass, with a record of 17.52 pounds. Clear Lake was most recently ranked by Bassmaster Magazine in its 2016 top-100 ranking as the No. 3 best bass lake in the United States and the No. 1 best bass lake on the West Coast. Locals strongly recommend against eating the fish from Clear Lake, because of potentially toxic levels of mercury.In addition to fish, there is abundant wildlife within the Basin. There are year-round populations of ducks, pelicans, grebes, blue herons, egrets, osprey, and bald eagles. The Basin also supports abundant populations of deer, bear, mountain lion, raccoon and other animals.The expansive, warm water of Clear Lake makes it popular for watersports, such as swimming, water skiing, wakeboarding, sailing, boat races, and jet skiing.