Gone Fishin'!
The fishing on Big Bear Lake is the best I have seen in years! The average trout has been 2lbs and this month there have been several trophy size 5lb plus trout caught. On Memorial Weekend on our charters we landed two over 5lbs and one 4lbs. The weather has been nice and warm the past couple weeks with day time temperatures getting into the 80s. This has warmed up the water fast, the surface water temperature is now in the mid 60s. The warmer water has the trout on the move, they are headed west toward the dam to find the deeper colder water. I have found some good groups of fish holding around the west boat ramp and the mouth of Boulder Bay. The Trout are getting into their summer time pattern. This means they will be feeding on the surface at sunrise and sunset. At these times I like to troll a black wooly bugger and Rapalas right on the surface. I will also have a few lines on the downriggers at 7-12ft deep. As the day starts to warm up and the wind starts blowing the fish will move deeper to 10-20ft. This is when using downriggers or leadcore line is a must to catch these suspended fish. (Slip bobbers will work if you are bait fishing) For my trolling setups I have been fishing a mix of live worms and spoons. The worms I have been fishing two ways, if there is little to no wind I will fish the worm by its self, threaded on a size 6 hook. When the wind picks up I will run the worm behind a Sep’s micro flasher or a Sep’s sidekick. The size 1 Needle Fish has been the best producing lure in the Pearl Bikini and Chicken Wing Colors. If the bite gets tough I will use a small Dick Nite spoon.
The Bass are in the middle of their spawn. They can be found in the back of protected bays with rocky bottoms and around the floating boat docks. The lures I have been using are, skirted jig, wacky worm and a chatter or spinner bait. Please remember to catch and release when bass fishing, this will help Big Bear Lake have more and bigger bass for everyone to catch. Bring the family up to Big Bear this summer and get in on this great fishing. Big Bear Charter Fishing is running trout and bass trips daily. Call 909-866-2240 for reservations.
