TroutFest has come and gone, and what a great event it was, a thousand anglers descended on Big Bear Lake last weekend, leaving town with tons of cash, gear, boats, trailers and even a truck. For official results and more information check out Western Outdoor News, The Big Bear Grizzly or Big Bear News. Thousands of pounds of Rainbow Trout from Mt. Lassen and a DFG plant are all that remains after last weeks fishing festival. With very little angler or boat pressure now and until the snow blows, the fishing can only be described as AWESOME! Water temperatures have dropped to an ideal 56 degrees from top to bottom and east to west on the lake. Oxygen levels are high enough to support the trout throughout the lake. The bottom lines is that the trout are everywhere.

Whatever your favorite method of fishing for trout is, it should work now and for weeks to come. Trolling with leadcore line is the best way to fish the lake. If you don't have leadcore don't be afraid to troll the surface with straight mono. When trolling the leadcore try Needlefish, Buoyants, Helgys or Rapalas in your favorite colors, for the flatline mono go with CD Rapalas in gold/black, silver/black or my favorite rainbow. Bait anglers can score trout in their favorite spots, or by drift fishing the lake with Eagle Claw Nitro and nightcrawlers.

There are a lot of big fish in the lake, perhaps a new lake record, so keep a loose drag, take your time and wear the fish down. Tip up...tight line and good fishing to you!