Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area

Bass * * Trout * * * Crappie * * * Catfish * * Bluegill * *

Trout action improved with crawlers, Berkley Mice Tails or various colors of Power Bait from the Auxiliary or Main dam areas. The Kern County Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby is April 20-22. Register by April 1 with the Chamber of Commerce to qualify for the $500 Early Bird drawing. Catfishing has been slower, but crappie are holding around French Gulch Marina or submerged structure at 30 to 35 feet and medium minnows or minijigs are pulling them out. Bass fishing slow, but Pete Cormier of Bob's Bait in Bakersfield reported an 11-pounder caught and released on a crankbait. However, this was on the only fish landed that day. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the project schedule for the dam reconstruction to be completed by 2016. It is here. The project page is here The lake dropped slightly to 2,543 feet and 15%. In the upper Kern River, fly fishermen continue to score with small nymphs, and recent plants throughout the river have increased action for bank anglers. Cormier reported improved action for trout in the lower river.
Call: Bob's Bait (661) 833-8657; North Fork Marina (760) 376-1812

Lake Kaweah

Bass * * Crappie * * Trout * * Catfish * *

Sierra Sporting Goods in Exeter reported live minnows have been working for crappie, trout and bass with increased interest over the weekend. A 9-pound largemouth was taken on a swimbait, but was the exception. The water is rising quickly and Horse Creek is becoming inundated, increasing opportunity for crappie from the shoreline. The trout are either deep between 30 and 40 feet or moving up the river arm toward colder water. Bass fishermen have been picking up trout on plastics to 40 feet. The lake came up 5 feet to 620 feet in elevation and 19%.
Call: Sierra Sporting Goods 592-5212

Lake Success

Bass * * * Trout * * Catfish * * Crappie * * *

The bass bite continues to be strong with 43 fishermen participating in Sunday's Success Bass Club tourney won by a limit in excess of 16 pounds. Larry Kerns of the Visalia Bass Club said, "If you didn't put up a limit over 10 pounds, you weren't in the top 10." The larger fish were taken on swimbaits or umbrella rigs with lizards or Brush Hogs working. Crappie fishing remains strong with small minnows, crawlers under a bobber or minijigs in the trees and shrubs along the shoreline. Power Bait, night crawlers or small spinners produce planted trout from bank access areas. The lake rose over 1 foot to 614 feet and 28%. All launch ramps are operational.
Call: Sequoia Fishing Company 539-5626; Lake Success 784-0215

McClure Reservoir

Bass * * * Trout * * King salmon * * Kokanee * Crappie * * * Catfish * *

Diana Mello of A-1 Bait in Snelling reported continued great bass action on live minnows or crawdads. Limits have been taken on the live bait or with the 6-inch 082 Keeper worms. Manny Basi of the Bait Barn confirmed the excellent minnow bite and he added Purple Hornet jigs, 8-inch Huddlestons in rainbow trout or the Berserk Mad Shad light holographic shad swimbaits as good options when worked slowly on the bottom. Spinnerbaits have produced spots to 3 pounds in Horseshoe Bend. Sales of medium minnows continue to be high for crappie and Mello has had to submit increased orders, saying, "Even then we have been selling out." Trout and king salmon have been taken by trollers up the river arm near Bagby. The bass size limit dropped to 12 inches at McClure on Monday. The lake rose nearly a foot to 762 feet and 45%.
Call: A-1 Bait (209) 563-6505; Bub Tosh (209) 404-0053