With schools letting out for the summer and before the heat waves of mid-summer arrive, this is the most comfortable time to enjoy some trips to recreational water spots. Santa Barbara area residents and visitors are blessed with wildly good options where we can fish, explore, relax and de-stress.
Our prime local attraction is Lake Cachumam which is a true jewel in terms of beauty and recreational opportunities. The campgrounds are well-maintained and there is usually enough room.
Accommodations allow for boat launching and fishing both from a boat and from a lengthy shoreline. The Neal Taylor Nature Center is a good stop and the nature cruise is a treat that is hard to beat.
Streams are always fun spots to fish, explore and get wet. Red Rock area has good water again. A friend just returned from camping at Davey Brown Campground and reported good water.
Nearby Nira Campground is also probably in good shape. Los Padres National Forest features a wealth of hiking and backpacking trails that lead to great spots.
While we have no year-round major rivers nearby, the Colorado River and other western river systems as nearby as Kern County promise opportunities for fishing, camping, hiking and good-ol’ relaxation. In campgrounds that allow it, campfires are the very best places to sit around and tell stories late into the evening.
Want to learn more about fishing lakes, streams and rivers? I am teaching a class for Santa Barbara City College at the Wake Center on Turnpike, beginning July 1.
I plan to teach students all they need to know to up their fishing game with specialized tackle and techniques including knot tying, for lake fishing, stream fishing and river fishing. You can come learn, whether you are new to fishing, or an experienced angler.
Here is how to sign up for this fee-based class: Go to https://sbcc.augusoft.net/ and tap on Click to Register. Registering will give you a student ID number. Keep that number because it will allow you to register for the class.
After registering, find the search box and enter 22798, which is the class ID. The search takes you to a page where you can sign up. If you are already registered in the system, just login and search for the class ID, 22798.
While enjoying a campsite and a campfire, having fresh-caught trout, bass, catfish, crappie or bluegill to fry up with butter and spices adds an aura and delicious smell of campfire cooking.
The crown jewel of the day can be telling the tales of fishing and other adventures of the day as the fire crackles well into the evening and time loses a sense of reality. Life should be an adventure.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
