Bass Lake Fishing Report

Fishing is really starting to pick up at Bass Lake as the vacation season comes to a close. Boat traffic has dropped substantially, having a positive effect on both trout and bass anglers.

The last trout stock was in April, and the bite had been quiet for the last couple of months. But with a now quieter lake, trollers are starting to find limits on the daily... pulling tubes and spinners behind dodgers in 30-ish feet of water.

The bass action is picking up too, primarily around grass in transition zones or off secondary points. Senkos, drop-shots, Ned rigs, and small jigs are all working well throughout the day... better in the early mornings.

CDFW has been stocking tens of thousands of kokanee fry yearly for the past few years, with the hope of sparking an excellent salmon fishery at Bass Lake. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have taken hold... as kokanee anglers continue to turn up empty-handed.

An unusual (for March) stretch of 70-degree days has ignited the fishing at Bass Lake over the past week. Water temps have jumped into the high 50s, trout were stocked earlier in the month (with another stock scheduled for early April), and bass are starting to move into the shallows to spawn.

Trollers are running orange or pink spinners/dodgers and pulling trout limits from 10 feet up to the surface. Bank casters are getting limits soaking PowerBait, but also finding fish on chrome spinners or spoons in back of coves in the early morning.

Spotted bass have pushed quickly into spawning areas around deeper flats and under docks. Small jigs and flukes are pulling 1-2 pound males, with the occasional big female hookup (often holding a few feet deeper).

Water temps may dip early next week with a cold front approaching, so take advantage this weekend.

Bass Lake has been solid for both trout and bass. Trollers are finding plenty of action trolling Dick's Trout Busters tipped with a small piece of live worm. Shore anglers are throwing spoons and spinners as well as PowerBait.

With water temps hovering around 70 degrees, all three bass species are very active. Spots are hitting smaller finesse-style baits (drop shot), while smallmouth and largemouth have been biting baitfish-imitating swimbaits. The water is very clear, so subtlety in your casting and technique is essential in not spooking the fish.