Big bear kayak fishing advice

[AlexB.]

Greetings all.

After getting feed back from some folks here and on other forums, decided to go to big bear lake a week to try my new obsession (FISHING, no surprise, right?).Thank you fellas for your input, useful for sure.

so going to try shore fishing and allot of kayak fishing(that’s new too, ?). 
going to try the Bass of course, large and small, along with the other species of catfish and such.

any advice on bait and techniques would be great. 
 

and here’s one you might not get> I guess it’s time to hone in the accuracy for peeing in a bottle while rocking side to side???cause I like my coffee in the morning?

 

have a great day.

[WRB]

Big Bear lake is located at 7,200' elevation meaning it's high altitude and has a unique micro climate. Your physical endurance is reduced due to lower oxygen levels in your blood weakens muscles. Paddling a kayak require some stamina doing this physical excersise. So be careful how far you venture away from you starting point.

Big Bear is calm most morning and afternoons, windy mid day on the main lake areas.

Rainbow trout is the #1 fish species, bass 2nd followed by bluegill and crappie.

Read my other post May 17th on Big Bear lake on this page for some detailed suggestions.

Tom

PS, the high altitude sun is intense the air cool, use sun screen and skin protection.

edit; the temps this weekend June 6 & 7 and 8 & 9 forecast lows 30 degrees high 60's. 

[Bass_Fishing_Socal]

Have fun over there, I wish to fish in big bare lake for trout and crappie. Almost got a connection in Arrowhead Lake, too bad she moved out of Canyon Lake.

[WRB]

Arrowhead is a private lake with good smallmouth bass fishing. Big Bear a public lake that anyone who pays for a use permit and proof of insurance can put a boat on the lake. lots of boat rentals or fish from shore with public access.

Trout fishing is excellent now, bass fishing should be in the spawn cycle.

Tom

[AlexB.]

WRB, thanks

Does "spawn" mean don't try to catch them so they bred? Not sure of the fishing etiquette. Thanks

[WRB]

6 hours ago, AlexB. said:

WRB, thanks

Does "spawn" mean don't try to catch them so they bred? Not sure of the fishing etiquette. Thanks

The spawn "cycle" is pre - bed -post in about 3 waves over 2 months. Go bass fishing and don't worry about it.

Tom

[RoLo]

 

I might add, the duration of the spawn depends heavily on latitude (Very brief in the boreal stretches).

Here in central Florida, the spawning season spans 'at least' 5 months, from mid-Jan to mid-Jun. 

Not fishing during the spawn not only spares the bass, but spares the bass fisherman as well.

Most bass caught during the so-called "Spawning Season" are bass in pre-spawn or post-spawn mode.

 

Roger

[WRB]

Big Bear maybe located in SoCal but it's climate is more like Minnesota and the NLMB bass were transplants from MN in early 1900's. 

BBL freezes over and the water barely reaches 70 degrees during the mid summer, the dam deep water area doesn't get over 65 degrees. LMB are located in the shallow areas, smallmouth in the colder water areas. In this case lattitude doesn't define this body of water, alititude    does.

Tom 

[Big Hands]

As mentioned, DO NOT forget to get a lake pass, even for kayaks. The local lake patrol is pretty strict and present in their enforcement.