Saturday night bassin' at Irvine lake...

[BassEngineer]

I've fished for bass at Irvine Lake before but not at night. I heard the bite was good at night so I took a buddy out. We got there around 6pm. My buddy wanted to catfish and bass. Bass I can catch...catfish not so much. We have never got any real help from anyone at the counter but he insisted we ask again. He says no one helps you because "everyone hates you". So we go up to the counter and we TRY to start up a conversation with a worker...

My buddy and I : "Are the Catfish and/or Bass biting??"
Worker replies very bluntly with a snarl almost, "I dont fish for catfish"...
My buddy and I : "OK...how about the bass?"
Worker: Yup they are biting
My buddy and I : Can you tell us where?
Worker : "Everywhere"...then he just went silent...as usual
...so we paid for the boat and left...

I've been there a few times, and I don't even ask or talk to anyone there...because I get the same crappy attitude and answer, "everywhere".
Seems like if they don't know you, they hate to give out information (there's a thread about this somehere)...anyway I had to get that off my chest. I know you guys are going to come out in droves to crap all over me, and "protect" the Vine, but I am telling the truth...I am sure others have heard the reply "Everywhere". Maybe they just hate Asians?? haha...j/k!

Anyway, we get on the water and I started throwing a 4" spook, and my buddy a spinner bait. Second cast on my spook, bass comes up, big splash, but misses....couple of casts later, I get one in the boat...I'd say pushing 1.5 lbs. A few more casts after that, I get another big splash, but the dang bass misses again.

We spent about an hour in that spot then moved to the west side, near trout island.
Some "interesting" structure there...(I brought my portable fish finder). I had a drop shot, spook, shallow water crank, and jig tied. We spent about an 1.5 hour in this spot...he was throwing the spinner blade exclusively...for 1 bass in this spot. I caught 2 on the drop shot, and 1 more with the spook, that was just under 2lbs. There was lots of grass, but when I started "scraping" the rocks with the drop shot, that's when the bass bit. I looked for more rocks in that area, but it was so dark, hard to tell where the spot was...we moved again.

We moved to another spot, and we saw a couple catfish being hooked...so we tied on shrimp and chicken liver (I brought 6 rods)...spent about 1/2 hour there for nada...we were like "this sux"...we need to go back to bassin'.

We moved to the NW side of the lake...my buddy still throwing the spinner blade...he caught 1 more...
So all in all, a slow night...but I guess I need to go there a few more times at night to find out where they are and what they want.
Sorry no pics (yet)...I left my phone in the car...my buddy took a few. When I get them from him I wil post the pics.

[fish ful]

Bass engineer. As you saw the bass are everywhere. you just need to move around the lake till you find them. they move around a lot. you catch them in a spot one day then they are someplace else.

the lure you used sounded like the correct lures. the bite is hit and miss right now. so you actually didn;t do too bad if you got that many fish. keep going and you will see the same thing.

they should start going off here in the next couple weeks. when ? who knows. on what? they will tell you that.

know one knows what the bass want....but the bass.

Good luck

[pigdestroyer]

Yeah man. Try going in there not Asian and see what he says. haha

[dfisher]

Yeah man. Try going in there not Asian and see what he says. haha

huh? don't get it

[hooks]

BE,
Yeah that was my thread about bass fishermen at the vine and everywhere else for that matter.
I've been there the last 2 Friday nights, we fished for cats but killed the wipers. Some of these fish are getting HUGE ! Several years ago, I caught one that weighed between 18 -20 pounds at the vine.
Anyhoo, the wipers have been tearin' up chunks of mackeral (bass 2 for that matter). Not just hitting hit but hammering hit.
We got 3 last Fri. nite on it and their all over the lake.
The vine is full of friendly helpful people, just don't ask the guys in their shiney $20,000 boats.

[Stormcrow]

Glad you caught some my man!

But yeah....Asian AND a Yankees fan? Those are two strikes against you right there. The guy probably thought you would wreck the boat into a tree or someone else! LOL :-P

j/k of course.

[BassEngineer]

Bass engineer. As you saw the bass are everywhere. you just need to move around the lake till you find them. they move around a lot. you catch them in a spot one day then they are someplace else.

the lure you used sounded like the correct lures. the bite is hit and miss right now. so you actually didn;t do too bad if you got that many fish. keep going and you will see the same thing.

they should start going off here in the next couple weeks. when ? who knows. on what? they will tell you that.

know one knows what the bass want....but the bass.

Good luck

Its not so much he didn't tell us where to go, or what to use, it was the attitude and customer service I was disappointed in. We only caught 6 bass...that is slow in my book. I guess I am spoiled by Mission Viejo Lake.



Yeah man. Try going in there not Asian and see what he says. haha
Maybe I can borrow one of your hats, and your lip ring...and go in there as you!!
ummm....now go pour me my worms!


huh? don't get it
He is saying I should go disguised as a caucasian.


BE,
Yeah that was my thread about bass fishermen at the vine and everywhere else for that matter.
I've been there the last 2 Friday nights, we fished for cats but killed the wipers. Some of these fish are getting HUGE ! Several years ago, I caught one that weighed between 18 -20 pounds at the vine.
Anyhoo, the wipers have been tearin' up chunks of mackeral (bass 2 for that matter). Not just hitting hit but hammering hit.
We got 3 last Fri. nite on it and their all over the lake.
The vine is full of friendly helpful people, just don't ask the guys in their shiney $20,000 boats.
If there are helpful people there, I haven't met one yet. I'll keep fishing there occasionally, but my buddy doesn't want to go back.
As I said in your post, I understand being "tightlipped"...but customer service is something else entirely.



Glad you caught some my man!
But yeah....Asian AND a Yankees fan? Those are two strikes against you right there. The guy probably thought you would wreck the boat into a tree or someone else! LOL :-P

j/k of course.

YOU gotta bust my chops too?? I got in more than my share of fights growing up in Queens, NY. Yeah maybe I shouldn't blame him....maybe he thought I had trouble seeing, cause you can blindfold most asians with dental floss!

[pigdestroyer]

Bonn,

Hit me up if you go to RSM anytime soon. Since I bought the condo I haven't really been fishing. Plus Keneti is in training camp for a few months to prepare for his fight in Oct.

I don't have the molds to pour your baits. I need to get them from Keneti or go to his house and get it done, but with his schedule it is tough right now.

[fish ful]

well....atleast you got a good sense of humor! good luck fishing.

[BassEngineer]

Bonn,

Hit me up if you go to RSM anytime soon. Since I bought the condo I haven't really been fishing. Plus Keneti is in training camp for a few months to prepare for his fight in Oct.

I don't have the molds to pour your baits. I need to get them from Keneti or go to his house and get it done, but with his schedule it is tough right now.

I've done almost no bank fishing the past month. I've just been renting a boat with my buddy at MVL. I blew out my knee, and I found out yesterday that I have a torn ACL and miniscus in BOTH my knees. I am scheduled for surgery in a couple of weeks....but I still want those worms!

[pigdestroyer]

Dude, hit me up when you go to MVL. Let me tag along one time with you guys.

I have the Green Pumpkin ready to go. Just have to get things settled and find out where we are moving our bait station to start on the Happy Hour color.

[VineAssist]

To start of like Preston satated "The bite has been hit or miss." I could not say it better myself. The past two months have been playing mind games with me and I have been fishing bass at this lake for 12yrs. The fish are pretty much "EVERYWHERE!!! One day I will whack them on the jig on the cliffs and I will go out the following day and not even get a sniff on the jig. Then the following day I will wax em on a 10"in Berkley Power Worm or a 13 Uptons and the following I will only get them on a jig. Not one of the bites I have been on this summer has been real consestint except for the Rocky Point jig bite that was reported in WON!

[fish ful]

To start of like Preston satated "The bite has been hit or miss." I could not say it better myself. The past two months have been playing mind games with me and I have been fishing bass at this lake for 12yrs. The fish are pretty much "EVERYWHERE!!! One day I will whack them on the jig on the cliffs and I will go out the following day and not even get a sniff on the jig. Then the following day I will wax em on a 10"in Berkley Power Worm or a 13 Uptons and the following I will only get them on a jig. Not one of the bites I have been on this summer has been real consestint except for the Rocky Point jig bite that was reported in WON!

Thanks Jimmy for the reply. The guys at the vine are helpful if they can. if only the fish would be as helpful....lol

and you got to remember...they get asked all day. were are the fish...what are they biting on. they do there best.

keep trying guys. the fish are there. they have no place to go. one day will will find them and be blown away at how great the fishing is at the vine. when conditions are right.

good luck everyone.

[zzzfish]

Hey, BassEngineer,

I can tell you that Irvine Lake doesn't hate all Asians cuz I'm one of them. I've been coming to this lake for the last 2 years and the Irvine crews are always nice to me and the people I bring along. Maybe you got them on a bad day.

Believe it or not, I've been trying to catch a largemouth bass for awhile now but has been unsucessful. I can nail the catfish and trout there pretty easy now thanks to some great members here and lots of practice. I'll be glad to help you out on your next catfish trip out of Irvine. Just PM me and I'll send you the info.

Jake

[BassEngineer]

Hey, BassEngineer,

I can tell you that Irvine Lake doesn't hate all Asians cuz I'm one of them. I've been coming to this lake for the last 2 years and the Irvine crews are always nice to me and the people I bring along. Maybe you got them on a bad day.

Believe it or not, I've been trying to catch a largemouth bass for awhile now but has been unsucessful. I can nail the catfish and trout there pretty easy now thanks to some great members here and lots of practice. I'll be glad to help you out on your next catfish trip out of Irvine. Just PM me and I'll send you the info.

Jake

I was kidding of course...with the Asian joke. I have been there a couple of times with a friend of mine who was a regular to the Vine...and they were always nice to him.
Again, I'm not saying they need to tell me exactly where to go, or what to throw. I am talking customer service...how about "Hi! How are you?"....or "Good Luck out there"....or "Need anything else"...or how about a smile?

Not just stoic 1 word answers that make me feel like I am bothering him when I am trying to spend money!

Thanks for reaching out Jake...if I go again, I'll take you up on your catfish advice...

[dfisher]

If they honestly hated Asians, Mitz would not be there EVERY day fishing, and boat riding with the patrol guys. I am asian and though I feel eyes darting on my back they have never treated me wrong.

[FishEye]

What does "eyes darting on my back" mean? I'm kinda lost what does Irvine lake have against Asian persons?

[BassEngineer]

What does "eyes darting on my back" mean? I'm kinda lost what does Irvine lake have against Asian persons?

The Vine has nothing against Asians....they just have something against ME.

Man I'm sorry I brought up the Asian thing...this is not what I want the focus to be on...

[dfisher]

What does "eyes darting on my back" mean? I'm kinda lost what does Irvine lake have against Asian persons?

sometimes I just feel uncomfortable but thats just me. I don't think they have anything against asian people.

[fish ful]

I'm redneck and every time i go they try and sale me a burrito and a beer for beakfest......lol just kidding.....i always have my own burrito and beer. :LOL:

bassengineer....i know you were kidding and blowing off some steam but the vine gets a lot of people asking that same question all day long week after week I'm sure so you need to understand it's not you. :Twisted:

people have bad days. :Angry: I'm sure once you get to know them and some people names who work there. you will see they are great people.


good luck fishing and have a nice day :Big Grin:

[BassEngineer]

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz112/BassEngineer/IMAG0039.jpg

This was the only picture that came out ok....others were way too blurry...

[Thisfool]

im sorry to hear that you have had a few not so friendly encounters with staff. i personally ask tons of questions to the staff and i get tons of advice but there are some staff members that are friendlier then others there is a taller wight dude i think his name is Jimmy he will telly you every thing he knows about the lake and all the guys that walk around in the red windbreakers are the Irvine Lake pro team and ive found all of them to be friendly and full of advice. there is one dude that i have came across who is not so cool and i have heard of him not being the nicest dude from other people but he is the only one i have ever found unpleasant maybe you keep running in to that one dude.