Steve Merlo: Buena Vista Catfish Derby set for May 2
| Thursday, Apr 23 2009 11:26 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Apr 23 2009 11:26 PM
For the first time in its 32-year history, the Kern County Parks and Recreation Department, in an effort to stimulate non-trout-program recreational usage, will hold a catfish derby May 2 at Lake Evans. Nearly 3,000 pounds of catfish between 3/4 and 5-plus pounds will be planted in the inaugural event with more than 10 percent of the total weighing over 3 pounds each. Cash prizes and outdoor gear will be awarded to contestants landing big fish, children's catches and total numbers. The event should draw a bunch of folks out to the tiny lake in hopes of capturing a nice mess of fish, and they should.
Fishing will be good, at least for awhile, as the newly planted catfish roam the lake's shoreline in searching for food and seeking a safe living environment, but I do not foresee a continued human or fish response over the summer hours. High water temperatures will eventually drive the introduced catfish to seek cooler depths with the natives already swimming in the lake, effectively putting most of them out of reach of shore fishermen during daylight hours.
The event is certain to spark a renewed interest in fishing at the county-owned facility. However, unless the county can keep the fishermen's interest up by continuing monthly or even bi-monthly stockings, the overall effect will be a ho-hum response and overall loss of income. The county plans to continue charging "catfish" rates after the derby, as they do "trout rates" during the trophy trout program, to raise desperately needed operational funds. But without plenty of fish on tap and easy to catch, the overall result will be a huge bust.
For instance, the $8,000 operational fund to buy fish at just under $3 a pound may sound good, but let's dissect it. The figures bear out to approximately 2,667 pounds of catfish for the derby, a fair amount. Ten percent of those fish will weigh 3-5 pounds, so lets call it 4, or approximately 267 larger catfish spread out over 82 acres, or a little more than three fish per acre. Not a lot of big planted fish will be on tap per person, but there will be a bunch of smaller cats.
Fortunately, Lake Evans already harbors millions of channel, white and blue catfish, some weighing in excess of 50 pounds, and really doesn't need a plant. I'd rather the county use the money to buy Park Ranger hours and allow night fishing. I've already been told that Park Ranger manpower has been reduced and activities after 10 p.m. are out, but I guarantee that anglers will all but swarm like bees to Lake Evans if fishing were allowed after 10 p.m., especially during the summer. The facilities are already in place and families or individuals would be able to spend a little quality fishing time, and possibly catch a huge, whiskered monster.
In the mean time, get out the catfish gear and we'll see you out there next Saturday.
Isabella crappie on tap
Finally! Isabella's famous crappie fishery has taken off with a lot of anglers scoring easy, 25-fish limits around the lake. While Isabella's white crappies are almost non-existent, the blossoming numbers of the great-eating black crappie are turning the fishing into a free-for-all for anyone using a bobber, mini-jig and light tackle. A friend of mine sampled the action on Wednesday and caught 23 fish to more than 2 pounds each in just short of 2 hours, quitting only when his back gave out, giving some notion as to the quality and numbers of fish available.
The leftover trout from the derby are still biting, too. I sampled the action last week with my best friend and caught lots and lots of nice fish to 15 inches on eggs, small jigs, Power Bait and night crawlers. The fish were holding in only 4-5-feet of water and bit our baits with regularity.
At the same time, the catfish are beginning to stir, with some decent action on cut baits or shad all over the lake. While the weekend temperatures are supposed to plummet, I look for the fish to rebound within a day or two when the temps spring back into the high 70s. The lake is rising steadily, and I foresee a super bass bite within a week or so, so get ready.
