BY MIKE STEVENS
BIG BEAR LAKE— Trout anglers ushered in the arrival of summer with another successful Fishin’ for $50k Trout Tournament, one that didn’t see a $10,000 tag caught, but there was no shortage of great times. A pair of $500 tagged trout were caught, and the tournament winner was a 3.1-pound rainbow. There were also plenty of winners among kid and adult divisions for both male and female anglers.
One of just a handful of year-round trout fisheries in SoCal, the arrival of summer simply means more species are added to an angler’s hit list. There are still good numbers of trout being caught –especially given the time of year— but bass (including smallmouth), catfish and panfish are activating as conditions warm up, and it looks like whiskerfish are leading that charge.
“The heat of summer is here, and lake temperatures are rising quickly,” said Josh Cumming of Big Bear Sporting Goods. “The warming water has moved the trout further west and a little bit deeper, and bite times have also shifted thanks to the bright moon, so skip the morning and head out mid-day or near sunset for your best shot.”
Cumming said shore fishing is best between Windy Point and the Boom Line, and bait fishermen using slip-bobbers set for 10 to 15 feet are doing well, and it seems like moving baits closer to the surface as sunset approaches is the way to go. Boaters are also doing well on Big Bear Lake.
“Drifting bait at similar depths or trolling with 2 to 3 colors of leadcore on the western half of the lake are a boater’s best bet. They’re eating anything with pink or red on it,” he said.
“Of course, catfishing has also turned on in a big way, and I do mean big,”There are plenty of double digit monsters to be had on night crawlers and cut baits. Focus on shallow flats on the east end of the lake and in the backs of bays from late afternoon all through the night.
WON Big Bear Troutfest is scheduled for September 27-28. For more information and to sign up, visit WONews.com and find it under the TOURNAMENTS tab.