FISHING Author Bill Schaefer shows how dropshot fishing rocky points can also be quite productive at Lake Barrett. “This lake has been shut down for a little over six months now,” he writes, “which means by the time the lake opens bass will be hitting every lure you can toss at them.” (BILL SCHAEFER)
should be topwater action early. Buzzbaits seem to call the fish out of the sunken brush here, so make sure you have one tied on. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits are good bets too.
KNOW THE RULES One other thing to remember about this lake, and it is important to know, is that Barrett is a catch-and-release fishery, meaning you must use barbless hooks. And yes, California Department of Fish and Wildlife does come out and check. You do not have to squeeze down the barbs on everything in the boat, but once tied on to your line you must take pliers and flatten the barb on that bait.
LINE CHECK With all that brush and sticks in the water – as well as the lake always being a bit stained – you will want to go with some heavier line. Barrett bass are not line-shy, so why risk losing a big one? I use my Daiwa Tatula gear spooled up with either their new Jx8 braid in 50-pound green, or if using mono I go with Maxima 12- to 20-pound Ultragreen line. You want to be able to turn that fish’s head
OTHER SPECIES TO CATCH
and get him heading your direction. That way you can pull him out of the thick, heavy cover.
NO ONE GOOD SPOT So you have a ticket to fish Barrett; where do you start once you get there? Just pick an empty shoreline and start fishing. The bass are everywhere. There really is no making a wrong choice when looking for fish at this lake. Regardless of whether it’s a rock, brush or gravel shoreline, they all hold fish. May should have the bass coming off their spawn and starting to cruise the shoreline and chasing shad. The lake holds northern-strain black bass and they do school up in wolf packs while roaming the shoreline. Barrett is one of the few that holds these fish, and they are ferocious and mean, fighting and pulling like little freight trains once hooked. This lake gives the feeling of fishing a private impoundment. You feel special being led into the lake in the morning by the ranger. With the water up, the few boats on the lake will be spread out to give everyone more room to fish.
34 California Sportsman MARCH 2019 | calsportsmanmag.com
The lake also holds crappie, various sunfish, and catfish. Although great eating fish, you do have to let them all go. The crappie population is small it seems, but you will catch them around some of the rocky points. The sunfish here are giants, and many times that bass bite you got is really a giant sunfish attacking your lure. Some are as big as a dinner plate! Catfish often come as incidental catches while largemouth fishing. But the real target at this lake is the bass. There are a ton in this lake, too, and remember, they haven’t seen a lure in six to seven months. This is a great place to introduce your kids to bass fishing, impress your boss or share a day with your best fishing buddy. They will all catch fish here. There are no concessions at the lake, so you must bring in all the water and food you will need. It can get really hot here in the summer, so make sure you have plenty of water to drink. You are a long way from help and don’t want to ruin your day on this special lake. If everyone plays by the rules, Barrett is an amazing place to experience. Its unique atmosphere and fishing make it a very memorable place to visit and catch bass. CS
HOW TO GET IN AT BARRETT
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he first couple of months are always the best at Lake Barrett, but with high water, who knows? Tickets usually go on sale the second Tuesday of the month before you wish to visit and will stay on sale through TicketMaster until all spaces are sold out. That is 100 spaces a day for 25 boats. Kayaks and float tubes are welcome too. You can check out all the details and when to get ready at sandiego.gov/reservoir-lakes/barrett-reservoir. BS