Hart Park Lake Fish Report for 7-17-2026
High temperatures convinced most anglers to fish at night or during the morning and evening hours
Hart Park Lake - Bakersfield, CA (Kern County)

by Chad Burton and Chris Borden
7-17-2026
Website
High temperatures convinced most anglers to fish at night or during the morning and evening hours. Bass held under heavy cover, and the most effective way to entice bites was with punching gear. Topwater lures also fooled plenty of bass, especially after dark, with weedless frogs proving to be the preferred choice. Bluegill readily went after redworms, waxworms, and mealworms, while catfish anglers landed 1- to 2-pound whisker fish using cut baits and chicken liver.
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More Reports
Cope's Tackle and Rod Shop Reports
for Friday, July 17th
California Aqueduct: Hot weather forced most aqueduct anglers to fish early or late in the day
Castaic Lake: Castaic held at full pool, and water temperatures remained in the mid-70s
Pyramid Lake, CA: Striped bass provided the best action
Lake Isabella: Summer bass fishing remains productive
Kern River: The Upper Kern River is flowing just under 400 CFS
Lake Kaweah: Fishing was better despite the rapidly declining water levels
Lake Success: Bass anglers reported another decent week of fishing
River Walk Lakes: The bass bite has been somewhat inconsistent, with the best action occurring during the early morning and late afternoon
Ming Lake: Anglers are reporting quality evening bass strikes on Bass Mafia swimbaits
Buena Vista Lakes: Anglers reported fair to good fishing at Buena Vista Lakes
Cope's Tackle and Rod Shop Reports
for Friday, July 3rd
• The southern aqueduct produced plenty of striped bass
Castaic Lake: Castaic Lake was at full pool with water temperatures in the mid- to upper 70s
Pyramid Lake, CA: Most anglers targeted striped bass, which fed on the surface throughout the lake
Lake Isabella: Crappie action remains good near the South Fork
Kern River: Fishing conditions on the Kern River continue to improve as flows remain favorable on the Upper Kern
Lake Kaweah: The lake continued to drop rapidly
Lake Success: Success Lake dropped significantly to 60 percent of its storage capacity
River Walk Lakes: Fishing at River Walk has been fair this week
Ming Lake: Fishing at Lake Ming has been good
Buena Vista Lakes: Buena Vista Lake produced fair fishing
Hart Park Lake: Hart Park produced fair fishing
Lake Nacimiento: Nacimiento Lake remained near 54 percent of its storage capacity, and fishing was good
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