Winter suffering, California style.

[flyfisherjoe]

For all you winter bound warm water anglers I thought I would post this picture sent to me last week by a friend at Kern River Troutfitters in Kernville, California. I'm not really trying to tease you but instead let you know that you don't have to suffer through the winter, just take a trip to California.



As you can see, because this is the middle of February, this poor angler has to wear his winter outfit: a long sleeve shirt and a t-shirt!

The LM bass was caught at Lake Isabella. The Lake is about 2600 feel elevation at the southern end of the Sierras and has Florida strain bass. I don't know who the angler is or the weight of the fish but it was caught on a size 10 black wooly bugger.

From the look of that fish, I'd say they will be spawning early this year.

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Joe

[Rawthumb]

Please tell them to quit dropping the fish. (it has mu on it). And to cease taking them that far out of the water.

[PanFisher]

When I lived in California I used to fish Isabella a lot - one of my favorite lakes. The Crappie, Bluegill and Bass can be great fun.

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Let No One Walk Alone
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Bill

[drolfson]

That's just not nice Joe!

I am hoping the rain and warm air we had last week and over the weekend have taken off some ice so I can try dredging up a gill or two, and you go and post something like that.

Don

[Fly_Line]

Poor Guy
He has no idea what he is missing. Probably doesn't have a clue how it feels to have your long johns ride up on you or to have the guides on your rod ice up to the point the line won't go through.

[flyfisherjoe]

Rawthumb, your right there I see some mud on the fish, and it's not nice to drop fish. The water looks shallow and muddy near shore. Probably had a difficult time landing it and didn't mean to cause the fish any harm.

PanFisher, you left too soon. Can you believe there's a fly shop in Kernville now? I'll be heading up there Thursday. The crappie may be starting up, I hear there really big this year. If the lake isn't producing I'll fish the upper river for trout, maybe the lower for trout and smallmouth.

drolfson, sorry! I hear there is some snow heading your way, sorry about that too! I grew up in the Midwest so I know what your going through.


PanFisher, funny! actually there are plenty of places in California that you can experience the conditions you described. The nice thing is, you have both.

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Joe