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Big Fish, Multitude of Species Help Make California Reservoir a Fishing Favorite

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 June 2008, 09:00 CDT

FRESNO, Calif. _ Each fishing trip to Pine Flat Reservoir could be the one that produces the next world-record spotted bass.

Three world-record spotted bass have been caught at Pine Flat since 1994, including the standing record of 10.27 pounds that Bryan Shishido of Lindsay, Calif., landed during a tournament in April 2001. The lake-record largemouth bass is 14.17 pounds.

"You know each time you go up there you have a chance of sticking something tremendous," said Larry Hodge, former president of the Fresno Bass Club.

Located 35 miles east of Fresno, Pine Flat at full capacity stores 1 million acre-feet of water captured by the Kings River, making it one of California's largest reservoirs. It also is one of the richest in nutrients thanks to inflow from nine creeks in addition to the Sierra's largest river by volume.

Besides spotted bass, which were first planted in 1979 by the Department of Fish and Game, the lake also has healthy populations of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, trout, king salmon and channel catfish. Crappie used to be in abundance, but their numbers have declined.

Every month from April through November, the DFG stocks the lake with 5,000 pounds of rainbow trout averaging about a half-pound apiece, San Joaquin Hatchery manager Greg Paape said.

Pine Flat Dam generates hydroelectric power for the Kings River Conservation District while the water irrigates crops downstream. The fluctuating water levels can be maddening to anglers.

The lake, which is 20 miles long and features 67 miles of shoreline, currently holds 535,000 acre-feet of water and is rising about 2 feet per day.

Experts say the key to fishing Pine Flat is knowing how fluctuating water levels and seasonal changes affect the behavior pattern of each species.

Spring is the best time as bass enter their spawning stage while trout and salmon become more active. Most trout and salmon are caught in the main body of the lake, typically from the Powerlines to the dam. Bass tend to gravitate toward the creeks.

"Every creek is like a mini lake," said Buck Deaner of Fisherman's Warehouse. "Guys fish way inside the creek when the water's running. When it's not, they fish the points that guard the mouths of the creeks."

In the summer, trout and salmon anglers fish from dawn to about 8 a.m., and bass chasers become nocturnal.

Deaner said the key to catching trout and salmon in the summer is to target long points, island tops, drop-offs and other structure.

In summer, bass that hold at 20- to 30-foot depths during the day, come shallow at night to feed.

"I don't know how many times I've thrown a buzz bait all the way to the bank, reeled in a bit and caught a fish," Hodge said.

The action slows in late summer and early fall when lake levels drop because of irrigation demands before trout and salmon pick up again during harvest season.

Shore anglers can also find success at Pine Flat. Mark Owens, manager of Doyal's Store in Piedra, said he directs them to the Deer Creek and Trimmer Springs areas, especially during late fall, winter and early spring when cool water temperatures draw trout and bait fish to the shore.

Added Owens, "There are no secrets on this lake."

Source: The Fresno Bee

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