FISHING
4 FIRST CLASS BASS OPTIONS SOCAL LAKES WORTH FISHING By Bill Schaefer
T
he lakes of Southern California go through cycles every so many years, with usually the weather as the main factor. Lakes can dry up to mud puddles, as we went through not too long ago. And then they tend to rebound over time. Well, it seems as though the time has come to go out and catch some larger bass. Last year saw a lot of 5to 10-pound fish hit dock scales from anglers, plus tournaments had some giant limits brought to weigh in. Plenty of 10-pound fish were caught, which lit up social media as the giant largemouth were shared with followers. So far we have had a light winter. If it holds up, March should make for strong prespawn fishing. I am already seeing some good reports from the lakes. So let’s look at four that should really shine and are a must-fish for anglers this spring.
SAN VICENTE RESERVOIR This lake was closed for eight years to raise the height of the dam and increase the reservoir’s size. Every winter, San Vicente rises a little and those who didn’t fish through the cold months have a new lake to try. The plan is to put more water in this lake, which will definitely be one of the largest in Southern California once completely full. Last year saw good numbers overall. Fish in the 3- to 5-pound range were common. Bass anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds showed up in tournament bags, as well as the boats of big fish
Author Bill Schaefer shows off a nice 7-pound bass he caught at San Vicente Lake, which puts out largemouth in the 5- to 10-pound range. There are plenty of great fisheries to choose from in the Southland. (BILL SCHAEFER) calsportsmanmag.com | MARCH 2020 California Sportsman
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