Photo by Jennifer Shepard
Lately, getting and going fishing has been hard for me. Sometimes, life takes precedence, and we cannot find time to do the things we love. So, what do you do? Do you take time away from work? Are you anxious about wanting to be outdoors, but the weight of responsibilities holds you back?
Sometimes, we must tune out so we can check-in. With the upcoming cold weather and fishing conditions improving, I plan to set a challenge for myself and fish every day. If you fish a spot enough times, you learn its secrets.
This week, I took my wife and daughter fishing in Morro Bay on the Endeavor with Captain Brad. Captain Brad knows the area’s secrets and quickly puts us on some good-sized fish in a killer spot. Being out on the ocean reminded me why I love to fish; nothing else matters in the world for a moment when you feel that tug.
I often find myself looking for motivation to get out and fish. The secret is to turn fishing into catching. Getting out every day improves strategies and techniques. You begin to learn the water: where the snags are, where the water gets murky, and when the fish bite in a certain area.
Currently, the main dam for Lake Isabella is still producing catfish and bass. With the cooler weather, we should see an improvement in bite frequency, fish caught, and better battles with the fish. We should have a longer bite window during the morning hours and an earlier one in the evenings.
As temperatures cool, the bite on the Kern has improved. With the cooler weather and deep pocket water upriver, around Ant Canyon and Limestone, I have done well. In the fall, midges, mayflies, and caddis patterns should yield results. If you like to baitfish, I always have great luck with a gold Kastmaster or the green-lid Pautzke Salmon eggs.
Southern California Edison (SCE) is currently consulting with the Sequoia National Forest (SQF) to relicense the power plant KR3. They plan to install cameras in various locations to monitor the frequency of people in certain areas and assess how to better serve the community and the health of the Kern River. More importantly, the relicensing affects the Kerns’ flow since roughly 600 CFS is diverted.
The upper Kern is designated as a Wild and Scenic area, and I feel that allowing the water to flow naturally will improve the ecosystems that call the Kern home. We would see more habitat for aquatic and riparian creatures, cleaner waters, and an overall improved health of the river. So, hopefully, with vocal community action, we can see an improved Kern.
Remember friends, tight lines, and leave no trace.
