Fall has arrived and the change in temperature can get rainbow trout spunky, some are on the move and most are not enjoying the change in oxygen and behaving a bit touchy. Adjusting from summer to fall has us on our toes a bit more. Flexibility, determination and willingness to try new things and get outside the box is what keeps us catching satisfactory numbers. While trolling 6 to 15 trout within 3 hours was our average the past week and there was a tough 3 fish trip when the trout were striking short and not hooked deep at all. Trout are delicate and if not hooked well patience and finesse becomes more critical. More territory than usual has been covered and when coming into an area that gave two or more hits the best strategy has been to focus and concentrate on these small spots and not be so choosy! If the trout are being particular it’s best to respect that or you will spend more time fishing not catching. Most our fish came from the same three areas of the lake the past two weeks but not the same spots or depths. Trolling with varied speeds at different spots and times mattered too. The crawlers were hitting slow and lures hitting faster and on turns most of the time. Along the south shore from Gilner Pt to Papoose Bay is where majority of the trout were caught in the morning through mid day. Then early afternoon to dusk we spent most time along the north shore from SS Relief to Grays Landing and to the dam. Covering all depths from shore to the middle of the lake is also key now. Several nice hold overs at 2+lbs were caught very close to shore down at about 15 feet and others were caught out in the middle of the lake down at 20-25 feet. Some trout are enjoying the change in temperatures and moving around rapidly and are feisty and hard fighting. Checking drags and lines frequently is important too. We have our drags set to run and checking lures for weed and flashers/dodgers with crawlers about every 10-15 minutes. Many crawlers will get hit and it’s worth feeding about three trout to land one. Using scent and glow beads has helped get more trout on the hook for sure. Being active and aware will keep you warm and presentation perfect. When you get a bite/hit be patient and let the trout fight and wear out while keeping lines tight and you will get more fish to the net. Forcing or slack in the line is the little window a trout will take to escape! The hottest lures are UV red and watermelon needlefish, Heavens Door/copper, Green Gobie/silver, Gold Gobie/copper and gold Little Warriors, little copper Phoebe, chartreuse Macks wedding rings, various salmon spoons made into flashers many with metallic purple and silver, watermelon, fire tiger dodgers with a night crawler on a 10-12″ leader. The shorter the leader – the more action so try various leader lengths. In spring we had a 3 foot leader and during summer we ran 8-14″ leaders. Down riggers were from 4 to 20 feet and most fish hit at 4 and 14 feet. Leaded lines from 2 1/2-4 1/2 colors most hitting around 4 colors. Very little surface action but a few nicer size fish caught flat lining and at 4ft on Macks wedding rings (re-rigged with glow beads!). Confidence, persistence and creativity are great qualities to possess while fishing for rainbow trout on Big Bear Lake. Being prepared with good gear, tackle and proper clothing and most important think safety to ensure a fun and successful time as the temperatures have dropped. Warm feet, hands, neck and head really help to keep you focusing on the fishing and good times. It’s been extremely dry so don’t forget to drink water and protect your skin from the elements. With a little extra preparation and thought to detail you will prevent distractions and you may catch a lunker! Good luck to all participating in the upcoming tournament. The summer rush is gone and we hope more detail in the reports inspires you get up to Big Bear Lake for some of the best fishing and scenery of the entire season!
Lucky Bear Fishing Charters 909-866-7303