11-8-2015

[pitman]

Fished the Vine today. West Shore bite was consistent all day long and cudos to the Vine staff for the quality of fish they have brought in. No fish I saw caught was under a #1.5. My only gripe is the pro shop / cafe. There was a female staffer working in there, hovering around very all up in everyone's business, very unprofessional questioning my son and his friends about stickers and did you pay for that food? Of course we've paid. Wtf? Were long time customers and have never felt so disrespected at the lake cafe. The's boys are hard core bass fisherman they save their money to be able to fish at Irvine every now and then just for bass. Not a good selling point point to your future customers. Very disappointing experience in there...

[murrieta angler]

The lake was stocked this past week for the tournament this past Saturday.
Fish up to 5 pounds for the tourney winner.

As far as the lady bothering you, call and talk to Danielle.
Maybe the girl was new and just a little nervous about her role their.

Have a good one,
Robert
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[etucker1959]

I want to put my 2 cents in about the staff at Irvine. For the last 20 years I have been a regular at all the pay lakes. The staff to me was always the same where ever I went. I don't want to cause any commotion I'm here to fish. So I never paid any attention to any of them. My fishing partner who is the nicest guy in the world said to me, "the Staff at Irvine get's in your GRILL ALL THE TIME." I never asked him what he meant by that, but after reading two comments about their opening weekend experience here at FNN. I think I know what he meant now!!!!

[Yme]

I know what you guys are talking about. Sounds like the staff doesn't care much about the people paying their salaries. I also recall seeing a representative from the lake on Eyewitness news saying they cut down from 30 to 8 employees. So I'm only assuming you dealt with a reg employee not a new one. My only concern is if the lake is going to stock any more fish this week, since they cancelled the "Veterans Day" tournament. Seriously? Like I mentioned before, something is up at the lake. But lips are tight. Like the trout bite. Lol. Actually my buddies did good at the lagoon with their little ones on pb. Cudos to them.

[Antares Sonozaki]

i heard that lake might close. i hope it's true! close it down!!!

[JAG107]

i heard that lake might close. i hope it's true! close it down!!!

Why would you want ANY fishing venue to ever close? Do you hate fishing that much, that a small lake tucked away in the hills of OC that stocks fish and welcomes the public to its shores exists?

[etucker1959]

Why would you want ANY fishing venue to ever close? Do you hate fishing that much, that a small lake tucked away in the hills of OC that stocks fish and welcomes the public to its shores exists?
The person who said, "I hope it closes!!!!" Might have missed the target but hit the Tree!!!! Let me explain, this concessionaire for the time being and maybe permanently WON'T be able to offer boating at the lake because no one will insure him. Who can't get the insurance??? The lake itself OR the concessionaire????? It's the concessionaire!!!!! So if this guy goes out of business, but someone else picks up the concession for the lake and is able to bring boating back to the lake. Isn't the public better off if that happens. Or would you rather have the current concessionaire barely hanging on, offering a reduced Irvine lake experience???? Sorry if I offended anyone but someone had to say it. Isn't it also ironic that both LNL and Irvine lake have had life changing experiences in the same year, plus Corona Lake already closed!!!! We can't catch a break!!!!!!!!

[JAG107]

The person who said, "I hope it closes!!!!" Might have missed the target but hit the Tree!!!! Let me explain, this concessionaire for the time being and maybe permanently WON'T be able to offer boating at the lake because no one will insure him. Who can't get the insurance??? The lake itself OR the concessionaire????? It's the concessionaire!!!!! So if this guy goes out of business, but someone else picks up the concession for the lake and is able to bring boating back to the lake. Isn't the public better off if that happens. Or would you rather have the current concessionaire barely hanging on, offering a reduced Irvine lake experience???? Sorry if I offended anyone but someone had to say it. Isn't it ironic that LNL and Irvine have both had life changing experiences in the same year!!!!


I'm not offended by any means. It's good that there are people talking about this stuff. I kinda disagree with your assumption that a new owner would walk right in and get insurance without any restrictions. Those drownings happened at the fault of the customer, NOT the concessionaire. Unless you say it's Irvine's fault for letting people near their water in the first place. Did Irvine Lake cause that guy to have a heart attack and fall off the pontoon? Did he drown because the lake staff didn't force people to put on life jacket and station a security guard in every boat to make sure nobody took theirs off?
I think that the few insurance companies out there that cover this type of venue already know the history of this lake, and know that it has the potential to be problematic in the future. Therefore, I believe that the only way we see boats back on that lake is from 1. time passing, or 2. a new insurance company that will grant them the permission to do so. Unfortunately, this is 2015, not 1945, where people were held responsible for their own actions.

[etucker1959]

I'm not offended by any means. It's good that there are people talking about this stuff. I kinda disagree with your assumption that a new owner would walk right in and get insurance without any restrictions. Those drownings happened at the fault of the customer, NOT the concessionaire. Unless you say it's Irvine's fault for letting people near their water in the first place. Did Irvine Lake cause that guy to have a heart attack and fall off the pontoon? Did he drown because the lake staff didn't force people to put on life jacket and station a security guard in every boat to make sure nobody took theirs off?
I think that the few insurance companies out there that cover this type of venue already know the history of this lake, and know that it has the potential to be problematic in the future. Therefore, I believe that the only way we see boats back on that lake is from 1. time passing, or 2. a new insurance company that will grant them the permission to do so. Unfortunately, this is 2015, not 1945, where people were held responsible for their own actions.
I love a good FRIENDLY debate. lol In the movie Godfather 2 there was a scene when Michael told Moe Green (aka Bugsey Sigel) they were taking over Casino operations. The reason why they were losing money. Instead of accusing Moe of doing anything wrong. Michael said, "you were unlucky!!!!" I don't propose a new concessionaire to use that excuse in trying to get insurance but in reality that's what happened to the present concessionaire. What a new concessionaire would have to do is make concessions to the insurance company's. Such as no boat night fishing. I don't know about you, but I always thought boat night fishing was an accident waiting to happen. (which it was) How about also no pontoon boats!!!! The last guy drowned from one. I own a 14 foot Valco tin boat, it's a lot harder to fall out of that then a pontoon boat. How about mandatory wearing of life jackets. A new concessionaire unfortunately to get the insurance might have to throw the old concessionaire under the bus. By saying we would do a better job then the old management team. For example we would use our patrol boats to check on safety and not just for over limits of fish. Maybe also saying we would have 2 patrol boats constantly observing every boat on the lake at all times. (like a life guard would) By doing these things a new concessionaire might be able to get insurance for boating at Irvine lake. I'm sure before any new lake operator would take over, they would already know if they could get boating insurance for the lake. Just my 2 cents.

[JAG107]

Yeah night boating is definitely a bad idea safety wise. Not many other lakes ever offered it, most kick you off by sundown.
Yeah more security would help, but how do you prove to the insurance company that you are doing as promised?
I'd like to know who's insuring SARL and why its not a problem for them, as far as I know they don't even have a patrol boat! Just the shore guy checking on limits once in a while.

[etucker1959]

Yeah night boating is definitely a bad idea safety wise. Not many other lakes ever offered it, most kick you off by sundown.
Yeah more security would help, but how do you prove to the insurance company that you are doing as promised?
I'd like to know who's insuring SARL and why its not a problem for them, as far as I know they don't even have a patrol boat! Just the shore guy checking on limits once in a while.
I'm not an insurance type guy, just more of a Jail house lawyer!!! lol But to answer your question about proving they're doing what they promised. If an event of a claim and it can be proven the new concessionaire didn't do as promised his insurance could be declared null & void. That should be enough of a threat to insure the concessionaire does what he promised to do. In the case of SARL, it never was much of a boat lake. Irvine lake just had more boats and is much bigger so the odds of something happening were greater. As I stated earlier, "they been luckier then Irvine!!!!"

[Antares Sonozaki]

Sarl is going to be packed now :LOL:

[etucker1959]

Sarl is going to be packed now :LOL:
Unfortunately for SARL it wasn't drained this year and refilled. What does that have to do with the price of beans???? (you might be thinking) SARL fishes best for the bait and wait kind of people (me included) when all the shad are all killed at once. The trout then hug the bottom looking for food. They then will see yours and mine power bait or power mouse and eat it with a vengeance. When the shad are not killed by draining the lake, the trout will still bite to some degree. Just to the more skillful anglers who can work a plastic lure. There is a couple of the people on this board that has got the night crawler thing down pat. That might be something to try if your power bait isn't working. lol

[Antares Sonozaki]

All i use are trout worms and jigs lol. Powerbait when bored.

[Ian]

So why then is float-tubing not allowed? The concessionaire isn't responsible for tubing accidents, right?

[etucker1959]

So why then is float-tubing not allowed? The concessionaire isn't responsible for tubing accidents, right?
Wrong! If someone is injured or dies while at Irvine lake, the concessionaire could be held liable. With that being said, "which method of fishing has a greater chance of someone drowning." A person in a Float tube or someone fishing on the shore?

[Yme]

Etucker- Let's remember the last who passed there was due to a massive heart attack according to coroner's report. Before that, it was a suicide. Concessionaire not liable. However the 2 that drowned prior to that, were allowed into the lake with a small undersized boat that shouldn't have been allowed past the gates that evening. Imo. Unfortunately the 4 men launched it after dark since they were told not to. But I can't help to think about where was the patrol and why did the lake allow them in? Concessionaire liable. Hence that's one of the reasons we're at this point. Thank you management. Lighter side of things, maybe fishing might get better there after their stocking? Take the kids to the lagoon and slay em!!!