BY MIKE STEVENS
LAKE ISABELLA – Mid-summer bass fishing has been consistent at Lake Isabella where anglers are running into biters on Senkos, bladed baits, topwater and worms, and at least one toad was boated in recent days.
“The bass bite has been steady as the summer heat stays constant,” said local guide and former WON BASS U.S. Open champ, Rusty Brown. “Bass are hitting poppers, walking baits, also some bluegill glides early. My Rusty’s Big Worms in 9.5- to 13-inch in Rusty’s Purple Magic has been getting bit well. My 8 pounder put up a strong fight in the morning in about 12 feet of water off a rock pile. Water temps are 80 degrees with 2 to 4 feet of visibility, and the lake is about 45 percent full with lots of shad and bluegill moving around.”
The crappie bite is only fair, and while they are still hanging around offshore structure, there’s not a ton of fish school together once located. That being said, anger is running into a few biters are still having to stay mobile to find more. Catfish action is still solid on dip baits, garlic nightcrawlers and cut mackerel.
