Heading for the California desert, Borrego Springs, for 2 months (M-I-L snowbirds there from Montana and wife is taking a sabbatical). Planning on a lot of hiking and birdwatching, but there will be times when I’d like to get out and do some fishing. Besides the ponds around the golf courses (presently unknown if I can even get on them) and some lakes up towards Palomar and Ramona, it looks like my fishing options are somewhat limited; being that we’re in the desert, this is understandable. I’m considering a trip or two (depending on when certain members of the family, related by marriage, decide to drop in) up to the southern Sierras to do some camping and try for golden trout - any reasons not to make the drive? Not looking for any specific info, just a “yes”, “no”, “steer clear of the Donners”, etc. May bring along the 9wt and head to San Diego for some surf fishing. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
The surf, San Diego Bay, and Mission Bay all fish well during the winter but a 9wt would be overkill. A 6 or 7 wt would be more appropriate.
Most Golden Trout will be in accessible until May or even later due to snow. Lower Owens river near Bishop is accessible year round.
Lake Cuyamaca isn’t to far from Borrego and has fishing for stocked trout, crappie, and bass. Take HWY 78 west to Julian (stop for pie on return trip) then HWY 79 south to the lake. The Lake Cuyamaca website has all the info about the angling and other activities at the lake.
The canals in th Coachella Valley can have excellent fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, carp, and striPed bass. A favorite of mine is the East Highline. From Borrego Springs take HWY 78 east past Brawley a few miles until you hit the canal. Then take the dirt roads that follow tha canal for miles of low pressure angling. The drops are high percentage areas but you can find fish all along the canal. I usually fish the canals with weighted streamers anda 6 or 7wt rod and a selection sinking lines with different sink rates as well as a floating line. This is moving water.
Wiest Lake and Sunbeam Lake in Imperial County have warmwater species and sometimes get trout stocks in winter.
Lake Cuyamaca…an interesting fact is that it is NOT catch and release…if it’s still the same… if you are caught releasing fish …you are either kicked off or fined…I can’t remember which…it’s because of the heavy stocking program I was told.
Yes mandatory catch and keep is the rule at Cuyamaca. With regard to trout, if they did not have this rule then many of the bait anglers would try to release gut hooked fish - which would then die- so they can keep fishing. With regard to other species it is a fisheries management tool to preven overpopulation of stunted fish.
By the way, all lakes in San Diego County that receive trout stocks mandate catch and keep for trout. Catch and release is permitted for other species except at Cuyamaca.
A rule of thumb with golf courses is most are closed to golf on Monday, which frequently makes the water hazard open to fishing. Ask the greenskeeper, most of decent folks who will allow fishing. After the course closes for the day is also allowed some times. They mostly don’t want fishermen getting beaned by a projectile flying along at about 100 mph (that’s just a swag as to the speed.)
To add to tailing loop, the upper Owens is fishing well right now and Hot Creek is open as well. Check out the Sierra Drifter site for fishing reports. The bay in San Diego in a float tube is a blast for spotted bay bass and surf fishing around southern cal is always fun check out the fliflicker site for some reports and info on those areas. Good luck and have fun.
Another rule of thumb is to avoid eating any fish from a gold course or just downstream. I worked a couple of summers at one and we sprayed some pretty severe pesticides in large quantities.
Ed
P.S. There is no golfer on the PGA tour who can send off a gold ball as fast as a reel-type mower attached to a tractor moving along a fairway or rough at speed.