Matt Freeman

Tell you what folks, fishing is good. Went up the North Fork in the ol' boat twice last week and caught so many trout I got tired of it, not really!!

I got to watch the traffic go by, watch the birds catch fish, enjoy good quality time with good friends and even got to watch a forest fire start that was quickly put out. All in all, a very good couple of days. These days, Lake Isabella should be called "Lake Fish-abella," because everything is biting right now.

Though this is true, sitting out there on the boat relaxing made me realize that truly fishing is not just about "catching" fish, but about the experience itself. The fish just make it that much more fun. When you are out there, time slows down, and you can take a deep breath and realize that despite all the drama, tragedy and craziness in this world, life is pretty dang good. Enough musing, let me tell you where the fish are at!

The trout, as mentioned before, are on an absolute tear right now. Trolling is good, but look for that to change. Get out there while you can and hit it early morning, the bite is done by like 9:00 a.m. on a hot day. It is light at 5:30 a.m., that is the time to be on the water.

Shore fishing is still good for Trout, which is kind of rare for the end of June. The normal spots are producing, B.S. Beach, Main Dam, French Gulch, Camp 9, Old Isabella Road, etc... Once again, get out there early. If you get there too late, all you’re gonna catch is a sunburn.

If you want an experience in trout slaying, get in your boat, and get up on the North Fork of the Kern, stay out of the main current, anchor up to the side or tie off on a tree and throw Garlic Powerbait with light line. Hang on, it does not take long for them to bite and there are some big fish up there. We broke one off last Saturday, that we never even saw, it just screamed the drag and was gone.

Be mindful of the wind in a small boat. This lake can kill. I can’t stress it enough. Watch the weather please, especially when you have a long way to get back to your boat launch.

The Crappie are all over the place; Browns Cove, Rabbit Island, anywhere there are trees right now. Get live minnows, that is the ticket. Then once you find them, fish the Crappie Jigs.

This is also an early morning bite. Isabella is truly what is called a "half-day lake" meaning the best fishing is in the morning. The wind whips up and the sun beats down, and it is time to go home ‘til the evening.

Bass are biting relatively well right now, but it has been a weird year for them with all of the high water. Look for the bass fishing to actually get better in July, because the spawn is late and the lake is still rising.

Get up early, get yourself some live bait or use you favorite bass lures and go wading in places like Wofford Heights Park, Boulder Gulch, the trees at Camp 9 and in the Southfork. You will catch plenty of bass right at dawn.

The rivers are too high right now to fish, I would recommend staying away until the water comes down, both for safety reasons and because the fish are there, but they are gonna be real hard to catch.

No reason to risk your life to catch a fish, especially when you can just go down to the lake in the early morning and get as many as you want.

Have not heard or seen much on the Bluegill front, look for them to heat up later in the year. They are around though, I caught some big ones last year at Rocky Point.

Catfish are doing well, the spawn is on for the cats and the Southfork and Northfork trees is the place to be. Get yourself some fresh shad, alive if you can get it, (Call me. I want some!!) and a medium action rod with 10 pound test and a large bobber. Use a whole shad, with about a five foot leader, and cast towards structure. Trust me, when that bobber goes down, it is not a small fish!

Once again people, let me know some of your fish stories, send me an e-mail at cooltuna12@yahoo.com. I would love to get your pics and stories in the paper.

‘Til next time, tight lines and loose drags!