Buena Vista Lakes Fish Report - Bakersfield, CA (Kern County)

Fishing was fair at Buena Vista Lakes

Buena Vista Lakes - Bakersfield, CA (Kern County)

by Chad Burton and Chris Borden
10-16-2026
Website

Fishing was fair at Buena Vista Lakes, with bass taking Senkos, Texas rigs, and swim jigs near the inlet and around the islands. Green pumpkin, Aaron’s Magic, and black and blue were productive colors. A few bass were also caught on crankbaits and topwater lures. Catfish anglers did well using dip bait, cut sardines, and chicken liver, while crappie responded to small live minnows.

Contact Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or check us out online at Tackle and Rod.com

Cope's Tackle and Rod Shop has the largest selection of fishing tackle in the Central Valley. We carry all the equipment from top manufactures to make your fishing trip more successful! Whether your fishing for Bluegill at a local pond or Bluefin Tuna far offshore we are your one stop shop for all your fishing needs.

  Our mantra here at Cope’s is “for fishermen, by fishermen.” All our staff truly enjoy the sport and spend a lot of time helping make sure you are enjoying your time on the water. We can guarantee satisfaction when you enter our store - from tips and tricks to providing you with all the gear you will need to keep you on the water and in the game!

  It is not only our goal to provide you with the right gear, we also strive to keep you informed of local events, trips, shows, and fishing opportunities.

  Our price match guarantee assures each angler the opportunity to get out on the water with the best gear at the lowest price possible. We make it a point to regularly run deals and sales!

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More Reports

Cope's Tackle and Rod Shop Reports

for Friday, October 16th

California Aqueduct: Anglers reported decent fishing in the aqueduct
Castaic Lake: The bite slowed slightly following the last cold front
Pyramid Lake, CA: Anglers reported good bass and striped bass fishing, with plenty of catfish mixed in
Lake Isabella: Lake Isabella held steady at 25 percent of capacity, but fishing remains solid throughout the lake
Kern River: The Upper Kern flows remain very low just above 200 CFS
Lake Kaweah: The lake dropped to 10 percent of its storage capacity, and the bass bite improved significantly
Lake Success: The lake level fell to 10 percent of its storage capacity, and fishing remained good
River Walk Lakes: Bass fishing at River Walk continues to improve
Ming Lake: At Ming Lake, bass action has steadily improved over the past couple of weeks

Cope's Tackle and Rod Shop Reports

for Friday, October 9th

California Aqueduct: Fishing was good in the southern aqueduct
Castaic Lake: Castaic Lake fell slightly to 94 percent of its storage capacity, and fishing was decent
Pyramid Lake, CA: The lake remained at full pool, and fishing was good for all species
Lake Isabella: Lake Isabella has dropped slightly to 25 percent of capacity, but the bass bite remains solid
Kern River: The Upper Kern was stocked last week in Sections 4, 5, and 6
Lake Kaweah: The lake fell to 11 percent of capacity, and spotted bass fishing improved
Lake Success: Success Lake fell to 11 percent of capacity, and fishing was hit or miss
River Walk Lakes: At River Walk, bass activity has been improving
Ming Lake: The bass bite at Lake Ming remains fair
Buena Vista Lakes: Anglers reported decent fall fishing at Buena Vista Lakes
Hart Park Lake: Fishing was decent at Hart Park
Lake Nacimiento: Anglers reported another good week of bass fishing