FOUR HOT SOCAL BASS LAKES

from Cal Sportsman Mag - Mar 2020

The Adventures of Todd Kline

4 FIRST CLASS BASS OPTIONS SOCAL LAKES WORTH FISHING

By Bill Schaefer

The 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 5- to 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)

San Diego County’s Lake Barrett bass are strong healthy fish that will test your tackle. Joel King shows off with a nice largemouth. (BILL SCHAEFER)

hunters. This may be the year for you to set the bar for other anglers.

San Vicente is covered with giant boulders along a good portion of its shoreline. Brush was not cleared after the raising of the dam, so as the water comes up there is always a ton of brush in the water along the shore.

The good thing for you is the bass move to the brush and you will find them from 1 foot to 50 feet of water, depending on the time of year. Right now the bass should be moving to the first prespawn staging areas of main lake points. One move that works this time of year is to sit on a point, throw out and work uphill. You will cross their paths eventually.

Drop-shot and split-shot worms will do well, as males will be roaming the banks looking for spawning areas. As the waters warm, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits – both hard and soft – crankbaits and buzzbaits will do well. Bass will start roaming in wolf packs as the lake heads into the summer, when Whopper Ploppers and other surface lures should

produce well. San Vicente has the potential to put out big bass and this should be the year for it to happen.

LAKE BARRETT Heading further east into San Diego County, I have to mention popular Lake Barrett. This fishery produces on average more bass than any other lake. (San Vicente comes close at times, but you have to give the win to Barrett.)

Granted, it does cost a little more to play here, but a couple times a year won’t break your fishing budget, and the fishing makes it worth the price. Barrett’s lake level was recently down, but all it takes is a little rain to bring it back up. The lake currently is about half full, which is plenty of water to have fun. That’s because there are only 25 rental boats allowed on a day of fishing. They have also let float tubers and kayaks join in the fun. For more information on the rules, check out the Lake Barrett website (sandiego.gov/reservoirslakes/barrett-reservoir).

This lake is great for the beginning angler or any angler who wants to gain confidence in any lure in their tackle box. The bass here eat everything – from the time the lake opens in May until it closes in September.

Where to start? Anywhere on this lake is a good area. When the water rises, the bass gravitate to the shallow brush and spinnerbaits, buzzbaits or anything you can throw around shoreline stickups will get bit.

Rocky points can be cranked for fast action. The go-to bait here has always been the Yamamoto Senko. Throw this bait into the shoreline brush and you will catch fish after fish. Drop-shot worms will also do well in any area at his lake.

DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE To the north we come to one of the largest lakes in the Southland, Riverside County’s Diamond Valley Lake. Now, this fishery has been up and down and closed and open during

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Guide Todd Kline loves to fish Lake Perris, which is on the upswing after it was essentially shut down due to dam reconstruction that drained the water. (TODD KLINE)

its lifetime, but it is still one of the best fisheries in Southern California.

The bass here came from stock at San Diego’s Lake Hodges. Those fish naturally grow larger without the help of a trout diet, which means that because rainbows are available to them at Diamond Valley, the reservoir puts out some giants each year! It’s possible that a world record bass could come from here.

The lake has all the natural structure you could want, along with sunken islands and man-made features. It also has two giant dam faces covered with giant boulders, which hold fish throughout the year. Springtime brings literally thousands of males running the banks to look for bed sites. This can be the wildest time of year in terms of catch rates. Drop-shot plastics and Texas-rigged worms, along with splitshot- or Carolina-rigged creature baits work well here.

Remember that the dam faces can be cranked for some fast action. I like bouncing jigs down the dam faces, which can also produce some trophy bass. Summer and fall can bring early-morning topwater action. Soft or hard jerkbaits will also work well

this time of year.

Don’t forget that trout are planted here and the bass will devour the imitation trout swimbaits, especially the larger ones. It takes a little patience and some endurance throwing them all day, but you may be rewarded with a personal best bass.

LAKE PERRIS Finally, I want to mention a lake that should be returning as one of the premier lakes in Southern California, Lake Perris. The lake was drained down to a mud puddle to do dam repairs at one point, but

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the water started filling back up in 2018 and 2019. This lake boasts a lot of giant bass in its history, with an 18.80-pounder leading the way. Last year was good for catching at Perris and 2020 should only get better.

I talked to guide (and fellow California Sportsman correspondent) Todd Kline (toddklinefishing.com; 714-333-8576) about the lake and how it fished in 2019 and the potential for 2020. Kline mentioned again to me that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California State Parks should be commended for their concern for the lake while it was down. He mentioned that they took the time to make Perris great again by adding cuts, rock piles and brush and trees around the lake for habitat for the bass.

As the water rose the bass immediately moved in. He mentioned looking at these areas to fish Carolina rigs, jigs and larger worms for a chance at a giant bass this spring.

Perris can contain a lot of brush in the water and the bass have gravitated to it. This did bode well for the 2019 spawn. During prespawn and, if warm enough, spawning males will be roaming the bank or on beds and can be taken on drop-shot or splitshot plastics.

Don’t be afraid to throw right into the brush, as the fish have really taken to the shoreline protection. Summer and fall will bring topwater action to the lake. Trout are planted here as well, so the trout imitation baits should bring larger trophy bass – maybe even your new personalbest fish. Crankbaits will also do well around the new rock piles.

These are only a few of the premier lakes in Southern California and my picks for you to have a great outing on the water this spring. I can’t stress to you enough to go and explore other lakes in or out of your area. You can make a day of it, or take a vacation and sample a couple during the trip. It’s time to experience some special fishing around California. CS

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