Lake Marion in Kern County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Marion lies in Kern County, California. The ground round it is oak and grass. This is a pocket water of some 2 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Kern County standards. The town to know is Alta Sierra, 9.3 miles out. Beyond it, Bodfish at 10 miles and Lake Isabella at 11 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lake Marion

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Kern County, recorded fish include bluegill, common carp, black crappie and green sunfish. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Lake Marion the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 68°F and January reads 40°F. There is no frozen season to plan round. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. The season on Lake Marion follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Lake Engle, 1.1 miles away. None of that is settled for Lake Marion in what we hold.