Stopped by the F dock on my brief visit to the Central Coast on Thanksgiving. There are still big bass right under the dock, even though there's only about eight feet of water beneath it.

I haven't posted much since I moved to the desert because I haven't been able to fish much. There are no lakes very close and when I can fish, I usually only have a few hours. I have found a lake about an hour away that holds some big Amur and common carp. I will post soon on some techniques I use to catch them. I also found a small pond on an abandoned golf course that holds some bass and bluegill.

Trout Plant

This is the time of year when they start planting trout in all the lakes, (except Lopez), and Diamond Valley planted some monsters. There were several cruising the shoreline in the third cove to the right. I broke one off on 2 string, (dropshotting flies), so I bumped up to 6 string. That rod had just nightcrawler and a splitshot, #6 mosquito hook. I reeled in fast just past the nose of this guy, and he turned and attacked it. After a lengthy fight, the other fish disappeared.

(Without polarized lenses, I would have never known these fish were there)

Shad

Just in case you didn't know, Fall may be your best bet to catch big fish. One of the reasons for this is that shad will migrate to shallow water to spawn. Bass, stripers, trout, crappie, catfish, even large redear and bluegill will eat shad. The shad will usually lay their eggs on wood, so you can expect them to congregate near docks, logs, submerged trees, etc. The threadfin shad is the most common baitfish in California reservoirs. Shad imitation lures, of course, will work well at this time, (swimbaits, jerkbaits), and of course, nothing is more exciting than seeing a big bass smash a topwater lure on a calm lake. I love the Lucky Craft Waketail and Sammy lures for topwater fishing. Another technique that I love, especially if I want to make sure a friend catches fish, is flylining live shad. If you don't have a fluorocarbon shad net, (who does?), it's pretty easy to snag shad. Just tie on a couple of small, thin, treble hooks above a skinny dropshot sinker, with light fluorocarbon line, and jig it through the school of baitfish. If your hook is too heavy, you will kill the shad and it will not be an effective bait. An injured shad gives off a distress signal which is like ringing a dinner bell for gamefish. A dead fish does nothing unless you work it like a soft jerkbait. Hook the shad through the bottom lip and up through the nose on a #6 mosquito hook, or a #8 Gamakatsu  baitholder hook. The thinner the hook the better for keeping your bait alive, but a large fish may bend or break a thin hook. Yesterday, I hooked about a 5 lb. fish that broke a fine fly hook on which I had impaled a large minnow.  It's important to use 8# test or lighter to cast a shad or minnow with no weight. If you see boils, cast past them and reel your bait into the strike zone, (so you don't spook the fish), Make sure there is plenty of slack in your line. When your line starts to move out, don't set the hook right away. Wait until your line is almost straightened out before you set the hook, this will give the fish time to take the bait all the way into his mouth. If you don't get bit right away, lift your rod tip quickly, then let your bait freefall. This will often get their attention. Retie your hook frequently as that knot will be the most likely place where your line will break. Don't know where the shad are? Look for grebes. If there are shad in your lake, the grebes will know where they are. Also, be sure to wear polarized sunglasses. They will allow you to see the schools of shad as well as the predator that eats them. Good luck, and fish on!

Flylining Minnows

Yesterday, I went to Diamond Valley Lake because I heard they were going to plant trout. They didn't. But as I was walking on the trail toward the east dam, I could hear splashing on the shoreline. So, I took a trail to the waters edge and saw thousands of silverside minnows packed tightly to the shoreline, and schools of largemouth gorging themselves violently on the little buggers. I had an ultralight rod set up for dropshotting flies, so I tossed it into the school of minnows, (they will eat a fly if it's small enough), and snagged one right away. I nose hooked the minnow with a #6 mosquito hook on 8 lb. fluorocarbon, (no weight), and tossed it into a little space between the stick ups. He immediately started swimming frantically, and there was a loud sucking sound followed by a small whirlpool. My line started moving out fast, so I stepped toward the water and pointed my rod toward the fish to give him more line. As soon as the line got tight, I set the hook and reeled in the first of several bass in the  2 to 3 lb. range. First cast, first fish. Great way to spend a Sunday!

Old School Fishing

I've been catching bass at Diamond Valley Lake on a variety of lures, (including flies), but having my best luck with good old fashioned nightcrawlers. (see post below on Texas Rigging Nightcrawlers)

Lopez Lake

I came in 4th at the panfish derby. It was tough fishing in the morning, but after the derby was over, the bite picked up. I hooked and lost a big bass right under the dock, and this morning I stopped on my way back to Palm Springs and caught this guy. Most people don't realize that there are large bass right under their feet. I also caught several catfish and carp this weekend at Laguna Lake in San Luis Obispo. Many people also don't realize they can catch fish all day long in downtown SLO. I was using "peanut butter burritos" for bait, and ultralight gear. Good fun!

Free Fishing Day/Panfish Derby

Don't forget September 7th is California Free Fishing Day! (no license required). It also happens to be the date of the Lopez Lake Annual Panfish Derby! On another note, I've been catching lots of panfish, trout, bass, and carp, dropshotting nymphs at Lake Hemet. Not big, but there's plenty:)

First Crappie

Eden and Molly each caught their first crappie today dropshotting nymphs on the F dock.

Trout!

Cachuma Lake reports that the trout bite has picked up this week, with fish up to 7 lbs. being caught. This fish and several others were taken with the floating worm rig described below. The next trout plant is March 19th.

Splicing Braid To Mono

This knot works fine for the 4 lb. braid to 4lb. fluorocarbon I use on my ultralight rod.

Winter Bass

Still catching big bass on the F dock, and crappie in 40 to 50 feet of water. Some fishermen are catching redear 70 feet deep.

Deep Water

The fish seem to have gone deep, but they can still be caught. I've been catching crappie and a few redear in 40 to 60 feet of water. Fishing vertically in the morning, and then casting way on the outside as the day warms up. I've also been catching bass dropshotting worms, (plastic and crawlers).  This behemoth took a fly.

Winter Fishing? (for kids and beginners)

Don't put away your fishing gear just yet. Sometimes the cold weather can produce the most memorable fishing trips. A lot of people quit fishing in the winter because they don't catch fish. It's not that the fish aren't feeding, it's just that they're not where you're used to catching them, and they may not be able to see your lure as well. When the water gets colder, and the days get darker, fish in reservoirs like our Central Coast lakes are more likely to be suspended in deeper water. The cold surface temperatures drive the fish deeper, but the low light penetration brings the zooplankton, and consequently the baitfish, higher up in the water column. Crappie, Sunfish, and Bass will suspend near these depths. In these deeper waters, and darker days, the fish will rely more on their lateral line than their vision to find prey. The lateral line is actually a sense organ which allows fish to detect vibrations in the water. Even a tiny nymph swimming in the lake will create vibrations that tell a fish its size, how fast it's swimming, or if it's injured. Too much vibration could spook the fish. Remember, also, that the colder temperatures will slow their metabolism. So, they won't want to swim too far for a meal. 

The fish are still there. They still have to eat. You just have to find the right depth, and convince them your lure is alive. Fish on!

Ultralight gear

I've been catching bass on ultralight gear, dropshotting nymphs and Texas rigging nightcrawlers on 4 lb. test.

Cottonwood Dock

Bass are gorging themselves on shad and small panfish, but they'll still suck in a nymph if it's right in front of their nose.

Lopez Update

Haven't posted in a while because my laptop crashed. Lots of bass, redear, and crappie being caught at Lopez. This smallmouth ate a red nymph!

Bass

Did I mention that the bass were spawning at Lake Santa Margarita?

Crappie Jigs

We've been catching crappie at the F-Dock using Bobby Garland 2" jigs, and bass seem to like them too. Walmart has a good imitation of this jig for less than $2/ 6 pack.

Winter Panfish

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Having some computer issues. Still catching panfish, but the water is cold and the fish are deep. You might want to slow down your presentation, and it wouldn't hurt to "cheat" a little by tipping your flies or jigs with a waxworm.