WEEKLY FISHING REPORT
FRIDAY, JUNE 11TH
Thank you to all the great anglers out there who help contribute to Bakersfield’s only local fishing report. Please don’t forget to send us your best catches of the week to be featured in next week’s report.
CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT
Bait has been the best way to fool striper in the aqueduct, but there’s also a topwater bite for anglers willing to fish low light conditions. Large minnows, blood worms, and cut baits are all working for bites near check gates, but anglers can fool the line sides using jerkbaits and Flukes too. Catfish have been going for cut sardines, anchovies, and chicken liver, and the best time for catfish anglers has been after dark. Largemouth have been biting Senkos and finesse plastics fished in the eddies and slower moving water. There’s also a topwater bite early and later in the day.
CASTAIC LAKE
The water level at Castaic fell to 62 percent of capacity, and anglers should expect that trend to continue. Rumor has it that the lake will be taken down to fifty percent of capacity for maintenance on the dam. Water temperatures remain in the low seventies, and fishing has been good. Bass anglers are doing well using drop shot, Senkos, and Carolina rigs. Purple, brown, green, and shad colors have been effective in 5 to 25 feet of water. The finesse bite has been picking up mid-morning with topwater and crankbaits getting a few bites early. The striper have been eating cut sardine, anchovies, and lugworms in the fish arm and near Kong Island. They have also been going for trolled flies. Catfish have been eating chicken liver, cut sardines, and dip bait in deeper coves around the lake.
PYRAMID LAKE
The lake rose to 94 percent of capacity, and water temperatures have been in the low seventies. Bass anglers reported a good bite for both small and largemouth bass throughout the lake. Anglers have been using reaction baits early and switching to finesse options mid-morning. Drop shot, shaky heads, and Senkos in Green Pumpkin, Morning Dawn, and Aaron’s Magic have been working well right up on shore. The larger bass have been taking the same baits in deeper water. The excellent striper bite continued last week with anglers scoring bites using sardines, anchovies, and lugworms. The striper have been biting well near the marina, in front of Posey, and at Yellowbar. Catfish anglers reported a solid bite using chicken liver, anchovies, and dip bait.
LAKE ISABELLA
The lake dropped slightly this week to 15% capacity and French Gulch Marina hosts the only launch ramp with the low water level. The largemouth bass action has really improved over the past couple weeks. There have been reports of numerous quality fish over five pounds caught this week. Anglers have been fooling with Roboworms in Aaron’s Magic, jigs, spinnerbaits, and shad patterned crankbaits. The crappie action is fair for the most part. However, boat anglers are connecting by trolling shad patterned baits and fishing offshore structure with minijigs and live minnows. The trout action is fair to good with the best action on Mice Tails, Garlic scented Powerbait, spinnerbaits, and GULP! Pinched Crawlers. Boat anglers have had the best action trolling various needlefish, Tasmanian Devils, and flicker shad. Catfish have been going for Dip Baits, nightcrawlers and frozen shad.
KERN RIVER
The Upper Kern was stocked this week by DFWL in Section 6, Fairview Dam to Johnsondale Bridge. The trout fishing throughout the 20-mile stretch from Kernville to Johnsondale bridge has been solid for both planters and wild trout. Anglers have been scoring fish with split-shotted salmon eggs and spinners. Fly anglers are seeing good action with nymphs and dry flies in the late afternoon hatches. In the Lower Kern, Section 3 was stocked last week from Sandy Flat to Isabella Dam. Anglers continue to score trout in this section with salmon eggs, Chartreuse garlic Powerbait and spinners. The Lower Kern bass action is decent on soft plastics, jigs, and small crankbaits. Catfish can be found with cut baits, nightcrawlers and Triple S Dip Bait. At the time of reporting, the Upper Kern River was flowing at 244 CFS and the Lower Kern River was flowing at 716 CFS.
LAKE KAWEAH
Kaweah Lake held at 34 percent of capacity, and bass fishing was decent last week. Spotted bass have been going for drop shot, Senkos, and, topwater baits. The topwater bite has been best early and late while finesse anglers found biters throughout the day. Green Pumpkin, Peoples Worm, and Aaron’s magic have been reliable color choices. Crappie anglers reported biters near Horse creek using small live minnows and crappie jigs. Catfish will take cut baits, chicken liver, and dip bait.
LAKE SUCCESS
The lake fell to 22 percent of capacity, and fishing has been fair. Summer boaters are out in force which means tougher conditions for anglers. The best bet has been to get out early or late in the day using topwater, finesse baits, and crankbaits. Senkos, Ned rigs, and drop shot have been working in Watermelon, Ox Blood, and Hologram Shad, and crankbaits are fooling a few bass early. Crappie anglers reported a decent bite using crappie jigs and live minnows over submerged cover, and catfish will eat chicken liver, sardines, and dip bait in deeper coves.
BUENA VISTA LAKES
Fishing remains fair at BV with bass and catfish as the best bets. Bass anglers reported a decent bite using Senkos, creature baits, and topwater near the cattails and reeds. Shore anglers reported the occasional largemouth biting drop shot or split shot rigs near cover. Catfish anglers reported catching whisker fish using dip bait, cut baits, and chicken liver. Bluegill have been eating redworms and mealworms, and crappie will bite crappie jigs and small live minnows fished near cover.
RIVER WALK LAKES
The Bass action is best in the early morning and late afternoon with poppers, crankbaits, jigs and Senkos. The bluegill bite is very good with live worms under a bobber. Carp can be found with dough bait.
MING LAKE
The Bass bite has slowed down a bit as they have transitioned into summer pattern. There’s a fairly solid topwater bite in the early morning and later in the day. Anglers can also find them with frogs, squarebill crankbaits and spinnerbaits. The crappie bite is fair with minijigs with or without nibbles. The bluegill bite is very good on redworms and. Carp are going for dough baits.
HART PARK LAKE
The best action has been for anglers willing to fish at night, and they are scoring bites using topwater and dark colored soft plastics. Poppers and frogs both worked well for largemouth last week, but six-inch plastic worms fished on a split shot rig worked well too. Catfish have been eating chicken liver, anchovies, and dip bait, and bluegill will take any live worm fished under a bobber. A few crappie were reported by anglers using small live minnows.
TRUXTUN LAKE
The bass bite has transitioned into the summer pattern with anglers working finesse baits in deeper water for bites. Another option has been to work the weeds with punching gear. Anglers also reported a decent topwater bite using poppers and Whopper Ploppers. Catfish anglers did well using anchovies, chicken liver, and dip bait, and bluegill have been going for nightcrawler pieces, and redworms near the weeds.
NACIMIENTO LAKE
The lake dropped to 27 percent of capacity, and fishing has been decent. Bass anglers reported spotted bass biting finesse options in 5 to 30 feet of water. Drop shot, shaky heads, and darter heads have been good option with small plastics in colors of green, brown, and bluegill. Topwater has been effective for spotted bass early in the day with white bass taking topwater as well. White bass have also been going for trolled Kastmasters, white spinners, and small swimbaits. Crappie anglers reported a fair bite using minijigs near shallow water cover. Catfish have been eating cut mackerel, anchovies, and dip bait.
TROUT PLANTS
Week of June 6 – Upper Kern River Section 6; Tule River Middle Fork; Tule River North Fork, Middle Fork #1; Tule River South Fork, Middle Fork #2
Week of June 13 – Balch Park Lake Lower; Balch Park Lake Upper; Tule River North Fork, Middle Fork #1; Tule River South Fork, Middle Fork #2
Week of June 20 – Upper Kern River Section 6
OCEAN FISHING
SAN DIEGO
The Bluefin Tuna action is excellent for another week for the full day and multiple day boats running out of here. The New Lo-An returned Thursday from their 1.5 day trip with LIMITS of Bluefin (42) for 21 anglers (18 over 100lbs, and the big fish was 195lbs. The Sauerfish out of Point Loma Sportfishing returned Thursday with LIMITS of Yellowtail (30) for their 6 anglers on a Full Day offshore trip.
DANA POINT/SAN PEDRO
At 22nd Street Sportfishing the Pursuit returned Wednesday from a Full Day with 9 Yellowtail, 26 Calico Bass, 5 Sculpin, 13 Sheephead, 47 Whitefish, 175 Bonito, 10 Rockfish and 5 Barracuda for 35 anglers. The Western Pride out of Davey’s Locker returned Wednesday from a half-day trip with 2 Whitefish, 1 Sheephead, 210 Sculpin and 15 Spanish Jack for 42 anglers.
CHANNEL ISLANDS
White Sea Bass continue to make a showing at Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island. Most of the fish are 20-30lb class but there are some smaller ones and some bigger ones to almost 60lbs. The Aloha Spirit out of Channel Islands Sportfishing returned Wednesday from a Full Day with (limits) 16 White Seabass, 20 Calico Bass and 2 Sculpin for 16 anglers. The Sea Jay returned Tuesday with (limits) 10 White Seabass and 9 Yellowtail for 10 anglers on a full day. The Endeavor out of Ventura Harbor Sportfishing on a 2-day with 20 anglers picked up (limits) 40 White Seabass, 250 Rockfish, 60 Ocean Whitefish, 14 California Halibut, 7 California Yellowtail, 16 Lingcod, 7 California Sheephead and 1 Rock Sole.
PORT SAN LUIS/MORRO BAY
The Patriot returned Wednesday from a 1/2-day trip with 5 Reds, 5 Copper, 1 Bocaccio and 97 Assorted Rockfish for 16 anglers. The Fiesta out of Virg’s Landing returned Thursday from a 3/4-day with 3 Lingcod, 15 Vermillion Rockfish and 129 Assorted Rockfish for 18 anglers. The Rita G on a ½ day trip Thursday picked up 2 Lingcod, 32 Vermillion, 10 Whitefish and 108 assorted Rockfish for 14 anglers.