The Upper Kern River is currently flowing at around 500 CFS, providing favorable conditions for both wading and fishing. Trout action remains strong, especially in the stretches from Kernville up to Johnsondale Bridge. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has stocked several sections recently, including the popular “20-mile stretch,” and anglers are reporting success using salmon eggs, garlic-scented Powerbait, nightcrawlers, and small spinners like Rooster Tails and Panther Martins. Fly anglers are also doing well using attractor nymphs, beadhead Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, parachute Adams, and small streamers, particularly in slower pockets and behind boulders. Water temperatures are in the low 60s, with early morning and late afternoon offering the best bite windows. On the Lower Kern, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has recently stocked trout in Section Three, with fish being caught from Democrat to the Isabella Dam. Trout are responding well to traditional baits and small spinners. Smallmouth bass are beginning to show in rocky, slower-moving stretches, where anglers are having success using soft plastics, curly-tail grubs, and small swimbaits in natural color patterns. Catfish are also active throughout the system and are taking cut bait and nightcrawlers, particularly in deeper pools and eddies. As of this report, the Upper Kern is flowing at 492 CFS, while the Lower Kern is running at 1577 CFS.

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