October 2, 2026

We have the best charter giveaways for our anglers! We give away a raffle rod and Cope's Tackle gift card to every fisherman and bring sponsor prizes/giveaways on all our charters! PLUS!! All anglers on Cope's Tackle sponsored trips are automatically entered into our BIG LING OF THE YEAR CONTEST!

October 10th, 2026 - 12 Hour Charter w/Black Pearl Sportfishing

November 14th, 2026 - 12 Hour Charter w/Black Pearl Sportfishing

December 12th, 2026 - 12 Hour Charter w/Black Pearl Sportfishing

Anglers reported a slower striped bass bite in the aqueduct, with catfish taking up the slack. Striped bass ate cut sardine chunks, lugworms, and jumbo live minnows, with many of the fish reported as undersized. The topwater bite was decent at first light and again in the evening, with Spooks and similar walking baits putting in work. White soft and hard jerkbaits were also effective. Catfish slurped up SSS dip bait, sardines, and chicken liver along inside bends and near bridge pylons. Largemouth bass were reported in those same areas, where they fell for weightless Senkos, drop-shot grubs, and poppers.

Castaic was at full pool, and water temperatures were in the mid-70s. Most anglers reported decent fishing with little boil activity, although topwater action improved much later in the day. Finesse anglers caught plenty of one- and two-pound bass on 4-inch Roboworms in shad and Aaron’s Magic. Most of the smaller bass held shallow, while many of the better catches came from around 20 feet of water. Striped bass anglers blind-cast shorelines holding schools of shad, with the occasional 5-pound lineside providing the reward. Jerkbaits also produced bites in those same areas. Catfishing was fair for anglers using cut baits and dip bait. It should be noted that many of the guides at Castaic reported phenomenal fishing for all species when using live shad.

Pyramid Lake sat at 90 percent of capacity, and water conditions were poor. Fishing near the inlet provided some relief from the green water. The early topwater bite was phenomenal, with largemouth and smallmouth bass to 5 pounds and striped bass to 15 pounds taking white 110-size walking baits. Once the sun hit the water, fishing slowed considerably, with jigs, green pumpkin Senkos, and A-rigs producing occasional bites. Cut sardines remained reliable for striped bass and catfish from 3 to 10 pounds, although thick weed beds made fishing from shore difficult.

Lake Isabella has dropped slightly to 26 percent of capacity, but fishing remains solid. Bass are being found in 5 to 25 feet of water, with the reaction bite still going strong and several fish over 5 pounds reported this week. Crawfish-pattern plastics on Texas rigs, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, and dark-colored brush hogs or lizards have all been producing. As the day warms, anglers are switching to 6- to 9-inch Texas-rigged worms in purple, Aaron’s Magic, and red craw, targeting points in 15 to 25 feet of water. Catfish action has been excellent around Camp 9 and French Gulch on SSS Dip Bait, shrimp, and mackerel. Crappie fishing remains very good offshore, with mini jigs, Keitechs, and live shiners producing steady catches around Red’s Marina, Engineers, South Fork, and French Gulch. One angler reported limits of quality crappie up to 2 pounds around structure in 8 to 15 feet of water on 2" keitechs. No trout reports came in this week.

In the Upper Kern, the trout bite picked up this week following recent CDFW stockings. CDFW has scheduled additional trout plants this week in all three sections of the 20-mile stretch. Fly anglers are reporting the best success on dry-dropper rigs with a Yellow Sallie nymph fished below. Trout are also being caught on salmon eggs, crickets, and Panther Martins. In the Lower Kern, trout have been caught through the canyon on trout jigs and Panther Martins. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass are being hooked on small plastics, Get Bent baits, and spinnerbaits, while catfish action has remained steady on nightcrawlers, chicken liver, and cut bait. At the time of reporting, flows were 306 CFS on the Upper Kern River at Kernville and 564 CFS on the Lower Kern.

Kaweah Lake remained at 11 percent of capacity, and fishing was good. Spotted bass action improved, with topwater producing near shore early and late in the day. Underspins and squarebill crankbaits also worked, while drop shots, shaky heads, and jigs in brown, orange crusher, and salt and pepper produced along points in 5 to 30 feet of water. Crappie held near submerged stumps and boulders in about 20 feet of water and took 2-inch swimbaits.

The lake remained near 13 percent of its storage capacity and bass anglers did well. Largemouth were readily available for the finesse crowd while using drop shot, Senkos, and jigs in purple and green. Main lake points, the trees, and steep walls all held quality fish. A-rigs and white spinnerbaits also hooked up. One report indicated using white spinnerbaits bounced off the branches of submerged trees in the North Fork as very effective. Catfish took cut mackerel and dip bait near the dam, and crappie ate small live minnows.

At River Walk, bass fishing has been steady in both lakes, with the best action coming during the early and late hours of the day. Anglers are finding fish on small flukes, Ned rigs, shad-imitating plastics on drop shot rigs, and green pumpkin Senkos. Bluegill continue to bite well in both lakes on live worms fished under a bobber or on drop shot rigs. Crappie action remains a little slower, but an occasional fish is being caught on live worms and small jigs. Looking ahead, the 14th annual Bakersfield Firefighters Trout Derby and Pancake Breakfast is scheduled for Saturday, November 28, 2026.

At Ming, bass action has been steady along the river side shallows. Poppers and spinnerbaits have been producing, while shad-patterned squarebills and green pumpkin Zoom finesse worms on a drop shot are also putting fish in the net. The bluegill bite remains excellent early and late, with wax worms, mealworms, and red worms all working well. Crappie anglers are finding better results later in the day using mini jigs and live shiners. Catfish remain a solid option on dip baits and cut bait.

Bass anglers reported decent fall fishing at BV, with largemouth taking crankbaits and spinnerbaits along submerged weed lines. Texas-rigged 6-inch worms in oxblood and watermelon black flake also produced. Catfishing remained consistent on anchovies, SSS dip bait, and chicken liver fished on Carolina rigs. Crappie held over submerged rocks and brush, where small swimbaits and live minnows worked well.

Bass fishing was steady at Hart Park, with quality largemouth taking crawdad crankbaits, white spinnerbaits, Texas rigs, and Senkos. Catfish ate nightcrawlers and chicken liver, while sunfish readily took live worms suspended one to three feet under a bobber.

Nacimiento fell to 35 percent of its storage capacity, and bass fishing remained good. Anglers continued to focus on topwater action with walking baits and poppers, and both flats and main-lake points produced plenty of fish. The finesse bite was also productive, with drop shots and shaky heads getting attention from spotted bass. White bass took spoons and tail spins in about 30 feet of water in coves, while crappie anglers did well around structure in roughly 15 feet of water with 1.75-inch swimbaits. Catfish anglers found success with 1” mackerel chunks and chicken liver.

Dana Point, Newport, Long Beach and San Pedro: Fishing remains strong throughout the Orange County and Los Angeles zone, with yellowfin, dorado, yellowtail, bonito, and bass all showing. Dana Wharf boats reported yellowfin and dorado on the longer trips, including 98 yellowfin and 4 dorado on September 29. Half-day trips continue to see good calico and sand bass action, while bonito have been filling in between stops. Newport, Pierpoint, Long Beach and San Pedro boats have also been putting together solid counts, with a good mix of surface fish and bottom fish depending on the trip.

The surface bite remains very good around the islands, with yellowtail, barracuda, bonito, and calico bass making up much of the catch. On September 30, the Aloha Spirit reported 14 yellowtail, 35 calico bass, 20 barracuda and 10 bonito, while the Gentleman had 16 yellowtail and 21 calico bass. The day before, the Aloha Spirit had 18 yellowtail, 100 barracuda and a white seabass. Ventura boats have also been seeing excellent yellowtail and bass fishing, and recent overnight trips have found yellowfin tuna, halibut and white seabass. Santa Barbara boats are seeing a mix of yellowtail, barracuda, bonito and calico bass, with rockfish and whitefish remaining a dependable option when boats head to deeper water.

Rockfish and lingcod remain the most consistent action along the Central Coast, but the offshore opportunities continue to keep things interesting. Morro Bay boats have been seeing excellent rockfish counts along with quality lingcod, including fish into the upper teens. The Endeavor has also found bluefin tuna on several trips, including 9 bluefin for 10 anglers on September 24, 2 bluefin on September 25, and another bluefin on September 27. Bonito have also been showing regularly. Out of Avila Beach and Port San Luis, rockfish remain the mainstay, with bonito mixed in and an occasional white seabass showing up in the counts.