The first choice of anglers for finding dense cod population is Big bear lake in Southern California. Surrounded by green slopes of the bear mountain and snow-capped peaks the lake lies amidst San Bernardino National forest. The lake is located 295 miles from California and takes a five hours drive. Alternatively, people can reach it in three and a half an hour drive from Las vegas situated 214 miles away.
Types of fish that can be found
Apart from codfishes, one can find a quite impressive population of rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, carp, black crappie, and catfish. In summer one can find common carps, channel catfish and panfish.
Type of fishing that can be done at the location
Traditionally cods were fished using handlines with the help of large vessels. Nowadays, gillnets and daggers are used widely. Motorized and non-motorized vessels can be used apart from shore fishing. There are numerous fishing spots according to seasons which the anglers can use to their advantage. Usually, Cod’s meat gives more advantage to fishermen as it is low in fat and high in protein content. During early days people dried and salted the fish and exported it to other countries. The meat of the fish is rich in all vitamins.
The female cod attains maturity within 2-3 years and lay up to 3-9 million eggs. It can live up to 20 years and spaws during winter and spring. The water temperature decides the rate of cod fish’s growth. They grow fastly in warm waters rather than cold waters. On average, these can reach 51 inches in height weighing about 55 to 75 pounds, and the record has been reported for 96kg. The Atlantic Cod is greenish-brown in color with gray sides. Rapid fishing has reduced their population, and climate change has reduced their growth levels too. Due to whiskers in the chin, these look slightly like the catfish, and they have three dorsal fins along with two anal fins.
Greenland to North Carolina is the range of Atlantic codfish. These stay at waters close to the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. It is also found along North pacific ocean from yellow sea to the Bering strait on the side of Aleutian islands and up to Los Angeles in the south.
Habitat: It is a freshwater fish found largely in rivers and dams and reside in areas under faster running water, submerged rock bars, and logs, holes the bottom of rapids. These come to the upper surface of waters in warmer months. The catch will be good throughout the day, the prime times being mornings and evenings. They reside in schools in shallow waters of less than 500 feet in depth.
They feed mainly on squids, aquatic invertebrates, urchins, lobsters, shrimps, crustaceans, isopods, crabs and as they are omnivorous these feed on water planktons too. Anglers use hardbody minnows, large spinnerbaits, lipless crankbait, bluegill jackalls, and jitterbugs. Live yabbies and wood grubs also serve as good baits.