Clear Lake is not only one of the oldest lakes in the world, but it also has a number of species of native fish that have been in the lake for tens of thousands of years. We have all heard about the hitch and the recent efforts to preserve this native fish from extinction. However, there is another native fish few anglers have ever seen but is plentiful in the lake. It’s the Sacramento blackfish. It isn’t as glamorous as a largemouth bass and doesn’t taste as good a crappie, but the blackfish is nearly as old as the lake itself and is an important part of the lake’s ecosystem.
The blackfish is common in the lake and goes back thousands of years to prehistoric times – long before the first human walked the shores of Clear Lake. It’s actually called the Sacramento Blackfish and is found throughout Northern California. It’s scientific name is orthodon microlepidous. Orthodon is latin for straight tooth and microlepidous means small-scaled. It’s a member of the minnow family but can weigh up to several pounds. According to commercial fishermen, most weigh about 2 pounds but they can weigh up to 5 pounds.
The blackfish is a plankton eater and spawns in the shallows during the months of April and May. Their eggs have an adhesive which allows them to stick to tules and other vegetation. In Clear Lake a juvenile blackfish can grow up to six inches per year. They feed on phytoplankton, green algae, larva and other small aquatic creatures. They use their gill-rakers as a filter and trap food in the roof of their mouth. They are a short-lived fish and rarely live longer than five years.
At one time blackfish were harvested commercially in the lake and were sold in restaurants and fish markets in San Francisco. Customers would purchase them live and they were considered a delicacy. They are also a popular food fish in Asian restaurants. The meat of a blackfish is said to be very tasty.
A blackfish spends most of its life in the deeper water of the lake and that’s why so few fishermen see them. Commercial fishermen harvested blackfish for years on Clear Lake. They used large nets, which they drag behind their boats. The commercial fishermen stopped fishing on the lake about 10 years ago. Recreational fishermen rarely catch a blackfish because they won’t strike at a lure. About the only way the fish is caught is when it accidentally snags itself on a crankbait or other lure.
Blackfish are often mistaken for hitch and more than one bass fisherman has reported seeing large schools of hitch when in reality they were blackfish. This also leads to confusion among the recreational fishermen who are concerned that if the hitch ever get classified as an endangered species it will have an impact on fishing in the lake. These fishermen say they are seeing lots of hitch and therefore they shouldn’t be classified as endangered, but what they are actually seeing are blackfish.
Blackfish can be identified by a long and narrow body. They have a cone-shaped head with a flat sloping forehead and small eyes. Their lips are thin and slightly upturned. The color of an adult is light to dark gray with an olive sheen. The young blackfish are silver in color. In the water it is often difficult to distinguish between a blackfish and a hitch.
Blackfish were once an important food fish for the early Pomo Indian settlers. They would trap them in nets and smoke them over a small fire. They are rich in protein and are considered good eating. They still rank high on the menu in restaurants in the Bay Area.
The blackfish do serve a useful purpose on the lake. The young provide a food source for bass and other fish. They are also an important part of the history of the lake and should be protected.