The other variable is weather. March nights are below freezing, especially on the Upper Kern. Early in the day, trout tend to have lockjaw. The lower section is much warmer, and trout are more active.

There’s no shortage of access on the Lower Kern. Upper and Lower Richbar, Burrell (the turnoff to go into Sandy Flats Campground -- which isn’t open for camping in the winter, but anglers can park and walk in), and Hobo are the best drive-to options. If you don’t mind walking, try Democrat Beach.

“There’s fish everywhere,” said Walton. “Anywhere along the lower river will be good.”

Most of the fish you’ll find in the lower river are all planted fish, he said. Every once in a while, you’ll run into a holdover, but it won’t be like the fish you’d catch on the upper river. But limits are common.

For decades, success on the Lower Kern was dominated by natural baits. Manufactured baits have never gotten established here.

In the spring, anglers can find trout huddled in pools, holes, runs and pocket water. It’s still a little early to be searching riffles and tail-outs.

KINGS RIVER
BELOW PINE FLAT
The Kings River below Pine Flat Reservoir, unlike most classic tailwater fisheries, doesn’t have an extensive population of large wild trout. Nor is it overwhelmed by flyfishermen. But in the hot and arid Central Valley, this section of the Kings is popular with anglers looking to cash in on the sometimes-weekly trout plants from the Department of Fish and Game.

Due to its proximity to Fresno, the San Joaquin Fish Hatchery plants here. During peak usage, it’s not uncommon for the stocking truck to show up twice a week. The fishery tends to be most impressive from Pine Flat Dam to Avocado Lake -- a stretch with plenty of public access.

The Lower Kings is planted on a regular basis, so it’s a popular area.

“But the disadvantage is a lot of hooligans are out there in certain areas,” said Merritt Gilbert of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis. “A lot of that is a fly-fishing area. The fly-fishing is good for our area, but not great compared to the rest of the state.”

As a whole, this stretch of the Kings River is dominated by bait- and spin-anglers. Fly-anglers occupy that small portion of the system near riffles. The bait guys work the entire stretch of stocked water. Gilbert said that a lot of guys use Kastmasters, Rooster Tails, Mepps, Super Duper, night crawlers and salmon eggs.

“You’re going to have to work fairly hard unless you fish it right around a plant, and then you can limit out in 45 minutes or less,” he said.

“But a good fisherman can catch a limit in four to five hours if there wasn’t a plant that day.”