Advice for someone new to freshwater SoCal fishing...

[kveldUSC]

Long time angler, but mostly in Minnesota where I grew up. Wanted to go out and try some SoCal lakes this weekend and didn't really know where to start. Just wondering if anyone could help me out with advice on lakes and lures. I live in Downtown LA, don't mind driving, but the closer the better. Any advice GREATLY appreciated, thanks in advance.

[DarkShadow]

kveldUSC,

Welcome to SoCal!

This is the place where you won't find the "1000 Lakes" like in Minnesota, but what you will find, is 20 million people living in the great Los Angeles area, so be prepared to fish a lot of pressured waters.

As far as your location in Downtown LA, you have lakes to the north of you, and to the south, depending on how long you want to drive. (Of course, you have your City Park lakes....but I dunno if those would come recommended)

North of Downtown LA, you have Castaic, Pyramid, Piru, Casitas and Cachuma. Castaic, Pyramid and Piru would be within an hour's driving distance, and Casitas and Cachuma would be a bit further than that. All of them have a good warm water fishery, and some (Castaic & Pyramid) have also added stripers to enhance the angling opportunity.

South of Downtown LA, you have Perris, Skinner and DVL, which are a bit further away, but also provide angling opportunities for your typical species found in SoCal; bass, trout, catfish, sunfish, and stripers only at DVL and Skinner.

If you really want to 'get away' and head to the mountains, you have Silverwood and Big Bear Lakes at higher elevation, but obviously a longer drive.

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It really depends on the species that you're at after, but I'm assuming since you are looking for specific lures, you'll be wanting to fish species that normally hit lures, which I will assume is bass.

To start out, I have always recommended using a simple 'drop shot' rig, which is very popular in the area. You can use any type of worm, but I can recommend Roboworms, which are easier to find than some of the fancy shmancy hand pours that often come recommended. You can even get away with using other types of plastic worms with the drop shot rig, but I'd stick to 4.5" and 6" Roboworms. As far as color goes, I usually let the lake's water clarity dictate what I use. Since essentially all of our reservoirs are big Sparklett's bottles and the water is used for human consumption, the clarity at our lakes is usually much clearer than any where in the country. Aside from your periodic algae blooms, our lakes are not natural and will not receive any type of influx from snow melt to change the clarity.

If the water is clear, I'd stick to lighter colors, focusing your efforts on patterns like Morning Dawn, or other colors that are ligther.

If the water is dingy, I usually pull out the darker colors, opting for patterns like Aaron's Magic to get fish to go.

The second bait that can catch fish out of a bath tub in SoCal is the weightless rigged Senko. I usually stick with the 4 or 5", and follow the same logic as far as color goes that I mentioned above.

Rigged weedless, the weightless Senko can get plenty of fish to go, especially this time of year.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy the 7 whopping lakes SoCal has to offer. :-D

[DockRat]

Welcome, going to
University
South
Central
be careful after dark, get a bullet proof vest.
Watch your back, you don't want to go home in a body bag.
Try surf fishing.

Good Luck in the Ghetto.
DR

[karlow]

It would depend on how much coin you have to burn.
DVL is the nicest / largest lake in So Cal. if you are serious about your bass.
Big Bear is nice this time of year as well for trout.
If you would like to pull on some fish, hop on 1/2 day or 3/4 day boat out of Long Beach.
The Barracuda are running thick this week!

Welcome to The Best Cost!

[shakesmvl]

were in minnesota i live in northridge moved here 6years ago from chicago fished bemiji many years send me your number i will take you fishing i got a 16ft creastliner

[kveldUSC]

kveldUSC,
Good luck and I hope you enjoy the 7 whopping lakes SoCal has to offer. :-D


Wow, thanks for the lengthy reply! Work called me in this weekend, so I wasn't able to get out, but I am definitely going soon. I really don't care WHAT I catch, I just want to get back into the lake fishing of my yester-years. Thanks again for your advice, I'll keep you posted with my success or lack there of.

[kveldUSC]

Welcome, going to
University
South
Central
be careful after dark, get a bullet proof vest.
Watch your back, you don't want to go home in a body bag.
Try surf fishing.

Good Luck in the Ghetto.
DR

Haha, already been through the ringer of ol' SC and its surrounding area. Loved my time there, so much so that I work there currently. You an alum?

[kveldUSC]

It would depend on how much coin you have to burn.
DVL is the nicest / largest lake in So Cal. if you are serious about your bass.
Big Bear is nice this time of year as well for trout.
If you would like to pull on some fish, hop on 1/2 day or 3/4 day boat out of Long Beach.
The Barracuda are running thick this week!

Welcome to The Best Cost!

I have been out on a charter from Marina Del Rey a handful of times, loved it, which is why I am trying to maximize my fishing potential with lakes. Never been out of Long Beach though and never caught a cuda, definitely something I am going to look into.

[kveldUSC]

were in minnesota i live in northridge moved here 6years ago from chicago fished bemiji many years send me your number i will take you fishing i got a 16ft creastliner

Born and raised in Mpls with a cabin on Mille Lacs. Ill send you a pm with my number, thanks!

[blackberg]

welcome!
What you do at SC?
I work down the street, over by campus often for lunch.

Fight On!
-bb