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Range Captain
By: Jim Teel - Club Range Captain
Big Bear Lake - Carp Spawn
So far this summer, the weather hasn’t been ideal to facilitate a full-fledged spawn on Big Bear Lake just yet. The temperature needs to be well into the 80s for several days in a row to really bring out the carp. Anytime the temperature dips back down into the mid 70s, the carp tend to be less active. And that has been the case over the past month. The weather will be warm for a couple of days and then it dips back down into the 70s. As a result, there have been sporadic spawning events around the lake, but nothing sustained that equates to a target-rich environment for multiple days in a row.
Right now, the weather forecast predicts sustained temperatures in the 80s beginning on Tuesday (7/8/25) and lasting all week straight through the weekend (7/12-7/13). If you’ve been waiting for the right time to get out there and kill some carp, I believe this coming week and weekend will be the right time to be harvesting your share of this invasive species.
The east end of the lake near Stanfield Cutoff is a good place to start for those of you shooting from shore. The entire north shore between the East Launch Ramp and Juniper Point has also been productive lately. Metcalf Bay (near Holloway’s Marina) has been hit-and-miss if you’re shooting from a boat, although I haven’t seen any activity near the shoreline yet. Metcalf Bay and Grout Bay are historically good areas to hunt if you’re shooting from shore. Both bays have large areas that are relatively easy to wade in - and when the spawn is on, those are definitely good places to hunt. The carp tend to move around en masse, so areas that are active one day aren’t necessarily active the very next day - so current intel about their movements and whereabouts is helpful.
If you’re on Facebook, be sure to follow the Oranco Facebook page. I will keep Becky informed about the particulars of where and when I see the carp spawning so that she can in-turn relay that information to all of you. I’ll be on the water myself, but I rarely answer my phone while actively hunting carp - so don’t hold your breath waiting for a timely reply should you call or text during that time.
Don’t forget to turn your carp in to the Big Bear Municipal Water District for your chance at a raffle prize. Counting and collection happens behind the office near the Big Bear Marina launch ramp between 10 AM and 6 PM daily. I hope to see some of you out there this week.
Jim Teel
ob.rangecaptain@outlook.com
(818) 317-9110
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