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Anyone planning on fishing the TroutFest this year? I have no idea why WON moved it from October to September, and marketed it like it was a good thing. It's been a hot summer and the water is still hot for trout fishing. Local fisherman and guides are having very difficult time catching trout. The water is just too hot! Any thoughts or comments on this? My prediction is this will be a very low attended event and may be the end of the TroutFest for WON, unfortunately.
---Mike
I went 3 weeks and it was totally dead. But I will be at troutfest.
Yes this was a very bad decision to move the date from a cool Oct to a hot Sept!! If you followed WON on other tournaments and their attitude in general. All's I can say is, "Here's your sign!!"
What's WON?Quote:
Originally Posted by etucker1959
It's a Right Wing News Cell, posing as a legitimate source of Hunting & Fishing News. If you don't believe me, go back and read the editorial section this past year. (it was shocking!!) The editor was nothing more then an Russ Limbaugh surrogate. W stands for Western, O for Outdoor and N for News. (Western Outdoor News) It was more propaganda then news! Yes I know, WON should have been spelled W.O.N. but the OP called it WON and who am I to disagree with anyone on here!!! lolQuote:
Originally Posted by DarkShadow
The latest lake limno report from yesterday shows lake is basically 69-F or more. It's crazy for WON to have changed dates. One rumor going around is because people were complaining it was "too cold" in Big Bear in October to fish!
----Michael
Don't waste your time. No one is catching trout here and the DFW is barely stocking little dinks that they put in Jenks and SAR. WON says they're going to stock $15,000 worth, but after talking to all of my dock friends and lake patrol, it hasn't happened yet and no one is catching trout. I'm on the lake bass fishing 3 times a week and have only witnessed 1 trout being caught near the dam. It was tiny! I caught a couple holdovers in the 3lb class back in early July (nice red meat) and those 2 fish hit my bass baits. Rumor has it the lake hasn't had a decent stocking in 2 years. Oh well, it beats working.
Putting $15K worth of trout would be so stupid to do right now. Save the $$$. It's too damn hot!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lastroll
Any other with reports or comments on Big Bear Lake fishing? Who else is planning on attending the tourney?
Been a subscriber of WON since it was .25 cents an issue at the news stand. Though the stories are delayed a week I have always enjoyed the fishing reports from Cali and Baja. Excellent pro tips and "how to's" have enlightened me to bass fishing over the years. With that said, the editorials are pro gun (obviously) and anti-liberal which go hand-in-hand. I try to ignore politics when it relates to my enjoyment of the outdoors and know both sides of the political spectrum have positives and negatives.Quote:
Originally Posted by etucker1959
I agree 100%. They should have stayed with the original date. There's going to be a lot of unhappy people out $75. The water today was 67* in the east end (surface to floor) and 69* in the west, also surface to floor - makes it very difficult to find fish w/out a thermocline. The Trout are not going to be active with these conditions unless we cool off. The bass fishing has shut down as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by iPhish
Spoke to all my local lake rats and no stocking was done.
My recommendation is to bring some dough and try for carp. They fight good and make outstanding crayfish bait. That way if you stumble on a trout while catching carp, it's a bonus!
Yep that's exactly what I'm doing. The TroutFest has been an annual event for my niece and I to fish. She has placed every year, but still looking for First Place, lost by a few ounces few years back LOL. She loves trout fishing and loves Big Bear Lake --- but this is crazy. So I'm saving our lodging and tourney money for later in October for us to just for fish when it cools down.
I'd love to hear bad (and good) reports of those who are fishing the TroutFest this weekend. I see there's going to be some rain, might help --- but good luck and tight lines!
---Mike
Just received word from a pretty good local source up in Big Bear. The TroutFest had about 400 entries. They were expecting at least 600 because they were giving away special gift up to 600 entries. Also, the max entries was 1,000. And now........ the fish count. Out of 400 entries total amount of fish caught on Saturday 34 and Sunday 15... totaling..... 49 fish..... that's right 49 fish! To put this in perspective..... last year's TroutFest almost 500 fish were caught!
This has got to be the worst TroutFest ever and you can't blame the fish nor the lake..... looks like WON just killed TroutFest!
Here's some WON propaganda at its best.... saying Trout fishing has been picking up! Check with any local fisherman or local guide and you'll see trout fishing has not been picking up at all for weeks!
https://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=...ng-into-form-j
https://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=...ly-gathering-a
https://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=...h-better-weath
Gzzz!!!
----Michael
Well I hope I was able to prevent some folks from this fiasco of a tourney with my prior posts warning that the lake was shut down. There were many ticked off people Sat and Sunday who believed the BS fishing reports from WON - All BS, which is par for the course for WON - but I guess it pays the bills. :Rolls Eyes:
The Saturday total was 9 fish. I heard Sunday was bad as well but didn't get the grand total.
I was in WON back in the early 90's but long ago stopped buying or subscribing because I didn't like it any longer and found exactly what you're saying. They beef up the reports for their friends, sponsors and subscribers. I started doing the 'Playboy' approach. Looking at the pictures when I see it on the stand.
WON destroyed one of the most unique and cool tournaments I've ever fished, the Double Haul in the fall at Crowley. Took a good thing and f'd it up. Par for the course.
I always called them Week Old News bacause that's what you get. Fishing and hunting news that's at least a week old. You get much better info (and more honest info) here and on similar web sites.Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkShadow
I use multiply sources for my fishing information. So I totally agree WON is old news for any Saltwater News. However, it is a good source for future News!!! Such as a lake that's going to have something special (stockings or a fishing derby) and the freshwater news isn't totally useless. Many lakes that have natural fish (un stocked fish) and they start biting. They suddenly don't stop biting 4 days later. I could give multiply examples of that! As for better information is available on here (FNN) sometimes and sometimes not. The Aqueduct section on FNN above the Grape Vine is pretty "DEAD!" I went up there 4 times over a period of time last year and did really well. Guess where I was getting my information on judging if it was worth the 250 mile round trip??? Those who said, "WON" get a Cupid Doll!!! lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Fish Dog
All information taken into as a whole is good information if you can see thru the obvious BS. But no information replaces work, time on the water is the only guaranteed accurate information.
Ditto Seal. Nothing beats hands on by you or anyone else you know.Quote:
Originally Posted by seal