Matt Freeman

Talk about some heat lately, as always this time of year it is getting warm up here. The fishing has remained warm as well.

Fishing is very good right now and has been all spring. We had a great crappie spawn, the bass were late coming in but when they did it was gangbusters and the catfish have been off the hook all year so far. Looks like it is gonna continue too with the high water. The lake has reached it's peak capacity for the year and is starting it's slow downward trend in water level and is getting set to turn over.

Understanding what happens during that process is very important. Basically, the lake's thermocline changes, the warm water comes up and the cold water goes down. That is why we get green algae in all of the bays each year for a short time.

As the shallows warm, the lake "turns over." A common occurrence and one you can take advantage of as a fisherman.

During and after the turnover, the trout go deep, and go toward cooler water coming from the river. This is a great time of year to catch big rainbows at the mouth of the north fork around the cemetery area.

They are there seeking food, shade and cooler water and they will be there on and off all summer. The bass and panfish go back to the deep during the turnover, the catfish I am sure are affected but they are tough and can still be pretty much caught anywhere.

Some years have a worse turn over than other years, this year should be relatively mild because there is still a lot of cool water coming into the lake. So adjust those tactics, and you will do just fine. The DFG is stocking the upper and lower Kern at bi-weekly intervals all summer until the water temps get too high.

One of the best fisheries this time of year and into the fall is the high country. We are approximately an hour away from the Golden Trout Wilderness, Sequoia National Forest and Monument, and the Domeland Wilderness. Creeks and fish everywhere up there.

The North Fork of the Kern is also very fishable this time of year. If you are looking for all native fish, and a mix of Rainbow, Golden Brown and even Brook Trout, fish the creeks.

Get a Forest Service map and make a day trip out of it. It is cool up there, forget this heat it is like 70 degrees up in the mountains, and the fish will hit everything you throw at them pretty much because the feed mostly in the warm months. Probably won't catch anything big a 12 incher is gonna be a good one but they are beautiful, they fight hard and they are great eating, far better than any stocked fish you will eat.

Brush Creek, South Creek, Freeman Creek, South Fork of the Kern at Kennedy Meadows, Fish Creek, and anything in between.

So if you see me up there, wave, because that is where I am gonna be!!

Til next time, tight lines and loose drags.