TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Recent Stories

1. 

   May 17 fish report

   By The Bakersfield Californian

   Thursday, May 16 2013 06:58 PM

   Kern County, southern San Joaquin Valley LAKE ISABELLA: The crappie bite remains good, but the bite is a little tougher with fewer limits, but a lot of nice fish from 1-8 to 2-8 showing for both shore, float tube and boat anglers in Boulder Gulch, Paradise Cove, Rocky Point and Piney Point. The best bite has been on live minnows, but fish are also showing on crappie jigs, especially when tipped with a bait or Crappie Nibble. The catfish bite is also good. Bass action is fair to good, and quite a few bluegill are also being caught.

   KERN RIVER: DFW plants, not listed on the state plants list, went in this week in all the spots on the upper river. The upper river trout bite remains good for fly anglers fishing the wild or holdover fish.

   Read More

2. Steve Merlo: With all the chirping, how can anyone sleep?

   Since March, male birds, decked out in their finest colors, have been singing, chirping or cooing while trying to seduce prospective females into selecting their perfect mate. Now, in late spring, the rituals, nest building and egg laying...

3. Steve Merlo: Rockfish season opens on the Central Coast

   I wrangled an ocean-fishing invitation from some friends last week, going out of Morro Bay on their private boat to do battle with some rockfish. The season had officially opened a few days before and we were eager to find some filets for...
4. 

   May 10 fish report

   Kern County, So. San Joaquin Valley LAKE ISABELLA: The crappie bite remains wide open here again this week. Limits of fish from 1-8 to 2-8 showing for both shore, float tube and boat anglers in Boulder Gulch, Paradise Cove, Rocky Point...

5. Steve Merlo: Ridgecrest angler snags $10K trout at Isabella

   After the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce decided to extend the time limit for catching 10 big-money trout swimming in Isabella Lake (holdovers from the recent derby), hundreds of already-registered derby participants continued their...
6. 

   May 3 fish report

   Kern County, So. San Joaquin Valley LAKE ISABELLA: It's crappie mania again here this week. The crappie bite has been wide open in the past few days with limits of fish from 1-8 to 2-8 showing for both shore, float tube and boat anglers...

7. Steve Merlo: Derby officials extend time to catch big-money trout

   Unforeseen environmental conditions, including increasingly high barometric pressure and fluctuating water temperatures put last weekend's Isabella Lake Trout Derby to bed without any big money winners. With more than 20,000 recently...
9. 

   April 26 fish report

   Kern County, southernSan Joaquin Valley LAKE ISABELLA: It's crappie mania here this week. The crappie bite has been wide open in the past few days. A report can be found in Steve Melo's column on the facing page. KERN RIVER: For the...

10. Steve Merlo: Plenty of tagged trout at Isabella fishing derby

    This weekend's Isabella Lake Fishing Derby, despite near-record low lake levels, will go on as advertised, and plenty of room will be available for anglers vying for the 1,000 tagged trout planted in the Kern River Valley impoundment....

11. Steve Merlo: Sharpshooters set to compete in 33rd Ken Barnes Open

    Ken Barnes and I have been hunting partners for nearly 40 years, chasing ducks, geese, doves and other game birds across Canada and the US. Now, I'm a fairly decent shot with a shotgun; not nearly as good as he is, you understand, but...
12. 

    April 12 fish report

    Kern county, southernSan Joaquin Valley LAKE ISABELLA: In spite of low water levels, the crappie action broke open this week with a lot of fish from two to three pounds reported off the bank in Paradise Cove. Most anglers are getting the...

13. Steve Merlo: Crappie fishing starting to take shape at Isabella

    Some giant crappies have finally moved shallower from their 25-35-foot haunts this week at Lake Isabella in the Kern River Valley. Anglers are reporting fish weighing in excess of 2 pounds each and some as large as 3 as the long awaited...
14. 

    April 5 fish report

    Kern County, southern San Joaquin Valley LAKE ISABELLA: Check out Steve Merlo's column on facing page for report on crappie. Aside from crappie, the low water and windy conditions have made for less-than-ideal fishing. The best action has...