Catfish went crazy for us at Guasti!

[etucker1959]

Before I give the story of us catching 32 catfish in a little over 3 hours. (C&R of course) I want to give a disclaimer, we are professionals so your catch rate may be much different then ours. lol (In reality we just got damn lucky)

Let me give a little back ground on catching planted catfish.

There is 2 kinds of fishing for planted catfish. There is the fish for them as soon as their planted catfishing. (also known as Truck chasing) Plus there is fishing for holdover catfish. I do both, so please nobody call me a truck chaser only kinda guy. I fished last month 10 times in a pond that hasn't been stocked since last Sept. I did pretty good all points considered.

This was a fish for the freshly planted kinda trip. At Guasti they do plant catfish every Thursday at noon in the summer months. (they do charge a parking and fishing fee so it is a pay lake) What I found in the last 15 years of pond catfishing is, "there is a percentage of suicidal fish ready to bite right out of the truck." My experience has been about 30% of the plant fall into the suicidal fish category. Once that number has been caught, it get's quiet for awhile. (people mistakenly think they caught all the fish planted) No there still a lot in there but just tougher to catch. They usually go into night time mode, so people have a hard time in catching them. (most lakes don't allow night fishing)

Back to our trip.

We arrived at the usual time (1:00 pm) and much to our surprise there was hardly anyone fishing in the small lake. A couple of newbies and 1 guy who knew what he was doing on the far end of the lake. The whole area of the pond where they stock it was devoid of any anglers. (usually there is about 12 or more people there) That's why I said we got lucky! We had suicidal fish swimming all around us and no one was there to catch them but me and Phil. We had good bait and tackle so it was going to be a slaughter. (not many fish were going to die though)

I was using the ancient Chinese secret on 1 pole (chunky cheese power bait) and a slip bobber with meal worms dipped in Garlic oil on the other. Phil was using fresh Bonito and Shrimp dipped in nothing on his 2 poles. As soon as we cast out, we were bite for the next 3 hours. It was hard to keep 2 poles in the water at the same time. The reason why these catfish were big by pond standards. 2 1/2 to about 5 pounds were the size of these fish and most were 3 pounds or bigger. So you had to net every fish and safely remove the hooks. (mine were easy with 18 treble hooks and the slip bobber fish were mostly hooked in the mouth) Phil did take home a few gut hooked fish for dinner. (I C&R all mine) They were biting so fast and furious I couldn't even sit down for 3 hours. They final stopped biting for us at 4:00 pm. What they did was swim to the other end of the pond. (the other guy started really catching them) We were too tired to move all our stuff the last hour. So I missed 2 bites and caught 1 in the last hour. Phil didn't catch any thing in the last hour.

The final count was me catching 17 catfish and Phil caught 15 catfish. I caught 8 of the catfish on the power bait and 9 on the meal worms on the slip bobber. Phil caught 10 catfish on Bonito and 5 catfish on Shrimp. So it was hard to say what they liked best, but it all worked. I really don't expect to have another day like that this year. But we did start fishing Guasti the same time last year and averaged 15 catfish per trip for the both of us on Thursday afternoons. We always fished 1 to 5 pm because that's what time they close!

Thanks for reading our story.

[Theos]

I love those days and nights. I remember many a night at the Mojave narrows doing my ninja thing. I would have one hundred fish nights fishing by the paddle boat rental spot using the hog wild rubber worms dipped in procure. Most of the fish caught were about 3lbs with the occasional 8+ pounder. I even caught a flat head one night on trout guts. Hesperia also gave up many quality fish on slip bobber rigs and plastic "floater" type baits. So they do indeed work for our local cats.

[TUNAVIC]

Nice outing there etucker,my buddies are up at Mountain Lakes,he says thier stocking every week also,thanks for the report,when do these stop stocking Guasti?

Cya Tuna Vic

[etucker1959]

Nice outing there etucker,my buddies are up at Mountain Lakes,he says thier stocking every week also,thanks for the report,when do these stop stocking Guasti?

Cya Tuna Vic

I believe it goes to Oct.

[tpfishnfool]

Spark plugs for weight ?
You got any crackers for that cheese ??

[etucker1959]

Spark plugs for weight ?
You got any crackers for that cheese ??

Your comments make no sense at all!

However, it reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite Westerners. (Unforgiven) English Bob was riding in a train commenting about someone shooting the President. When some loud mouth threw an insult at English Bob. (calling the assassin an John Bull like English Bob) English Bob then challenged this loud mouth to a contest of shooting Pheasants for an dollar a shot. English Bob hit 8 Pheasants out of 10 shots, while the loud mouth hit only 1 Pheasants out of his 10 shots. Thus the loud mouth paid English Bob 7 dollars for losing the shooting contest. English Bob being the gentlemen that he was said, "you must have been grieving for your President and thus effecting your shooting ability's!"

I wonder if the same thing must be happening to you? Trump has had the worst 2 weeks of his Presidency. Everything from his campaign manager being found guilty in a court of law. Plus everyone else turning into a cooperating witness and pleading guilty. Along with the Death of a true American War hero and Statesman who the country truly loved! (while Trump couldn't stand him) With all these things happening to your Boy in the White House, it must have made you a little incoherent to the reality's of the world and effecting your cognizant ability's. lol lol lol

[tpfishnfool]

Yea buddy.
In n out is open in 10. Late .....

[CHUCKY]

Yea buddy.
In n out is open in 10. Late .....

I just had a no1 no tomato,grilled onion with a coke for lunch. The line was really long too.

[etucker1959]

Yea buddy.
In n out is open in 10. Late .....

That's the response I got from you??? :EyePop::EyePop::EyePop: I realize you haven't put two sentences together in any response you've ever given. So I shouldn't be all that surprised! I kinda like matching wits with someone, but in your case I feel like I'm taking advantage of unarmed person!

You do realize you and now Chucky are violating rule 96 on FNN. Which is general discussion topics are (in this case blathering) to stay in the GD section only. You "NEVER" let it spill over to a legitimate fish report! This is the biggest complaint people have about having a GD section. They say the animosity in there spills over into the fishing section. I along with the other progressives and Middle of the Roaders and Independents follow that rule to a tee. So if the Conservative element in here breaks that rule. It doesn't say very much about your character!!!

[tpfishnfool]

Etuck.
Relax and enjoy the next term.

[Alakai]

I was more curious about that bait, Chunky Cheese Power bait, Mealworms dipped in Garlic oil and Bonito?? Is that just straight garlic oil?? Any other advice for bait?

[etucker1959]

I was more curious about that bait, Chunky Cheese Power bait, Mealworms dipped in Garlic oil and Bonito?? Is that just straight garlic oil?? Any other advice for bait?

The garlic oil is the trout stuff made by Bite on. When it comes to mealworms I do it a little different. I use a number 6 bait holder hook and put as many of the large mealworms you can fit on them. Usually it's 5 or 6. (then dip then in Garlic) The more economical way to use mealworms is 1 mealworm then 1 marshmellow and 1 mealworm on the end on the same number 6 hook. (the famous M/M bait) I go to Rainbow bait in Compton and buy 1000 mealworms for $15 dollars. So I'm a bait hog! lol

The Bonito is the bomb but it's expensive unless you catch your own. The only place to buy it is Ranch 99 at $2.99 a pound. But the Bonito are big there, so it get's pricey. So that's why I said in my report I had good bait. But since Thursday we have put it to good use and have caught 45 catfish!

The best cheap bait is Mexican markets white shrimp. (don't get the deveined shrimp from Ralphs) I like the smaller shrimps and I do take the shell off. You can fish them straight, dip them in Garlic or with Marshmellows. If you fish them with Marshmellows add lots of Marshmellows. The idea is is to float the shrimp off the bottom so add as many Marshmellows as needed.

Bait is very important, however in the park ponds many times location is more important. For example at the Orange County pond I fished over the weekend. The catfish were just to the left of one airater and I caught 12 catfish from the same spot. I only saw 3 other catfish caught from a different spot. By the way the other 20 catfish I saw caught at the pond that weekend, was from the same general spot.

[Marley]

My office is almost within rock throwing distance of Guasti so the title drew me in. Only to find it took you but two replies to get political. SMH.

[Alakai]

The garlic oil is the trout stuff made by Bite on. When it comes to mealworms I do it a little different. I use a number 6 bait holder hook and put as many of the large mealworms you can fit on them. Usually it's 5 or 6. (then dip then in Garlic) The more economical way to use mealworms is 1 mealworm then 1 marshmellow and 1 mealworm on the end on the same number 6 hook. (the famous M/M bait) I go to Rainbow bait in Compton and buy 1000 mealworms for $15 dollars. So I'm a bait hog! lol

The Bonito is the bomb but it's expensive unless you catch your own. The only place to buy it is Ranch 99 at $2.99 a pound. But the Bonito are big there, so it get's pricey. So why I said in my report I had good bait. But since Thursday we have put it to good use and have caught 45 catfish!


That all sounds doable, I would like to try it out someday. What about the chunky cheese? is that a flavor that catfish like from Powerbait? Is that in like the trout bait jars?

Bonito > Mackeral huh?

[etucker1959]

That all sounds doable, I would like to try it out someday. What about the chunky cheese? is that a flavor that catfish like from Powerbait? Is that in like the trout bait jars?

Bonito > Mackeral huh?

Actually the Chunky Cheese with garlic is a Gulp. (tomato tomato) But it is in the regular trout power bait jars. As a catfish gunslinger (I look for even the slightest edge) So when I say Bonito it is Bonito or Skipjack, it's not Mackeral. I think the catfish like Bonito slightly better then Mackeral.

[etucker1959]

My office is almost within rock throwing distance of Guasti so the title drew me in. Only to find it took you but two replies to get political. SMH.

Boy did you miss the point! I am the biggest advocate that GD discussions stay in the GD section only and fishing topics are free from any other discussions but fishing. So when the 2 Conservative people started to clown around on my fish report. I set them straight!!! They immediately went to a old political thread and made their comments there.

Had I done a fish report with any political nonsense in it, your criticism would have been valid! But that was not the case, the fish report was about fishing only! But when the same two antagonist from the GD section show up in my fish report with nothing valid to say. I say, "shoot first and let God sort them out!"

[Alakai]

Actually the Chunky Cheese with garlic is a Gulp. (tomato tomato) But it is in the regular trout power bait jars. As a catfish gunslinger (I look for even the slightest edge) So when I say Bonito it is Bonito or Skipjack, it's not Mackeral. I think the catfish like Bonito slightly better then Mackeral.

Had no idea that catfish would go for that trout bait. Will have to try it, wonder if it will work at SARL also

[etucker1959]

Had no idea that catfish would go for that trout bait. Will have to try it, wonder if it will work at SARL also

I've never tried it at SARL, but I have tried it at Lake Wohlford and it worked there too. (dip it in the Garlic to make it really tasty)

[Alakai]

Based on this thread I was looking up Guasti, looks like fun. They stock 800 lbs a week and is about half the price of SARL. Maybe a good place to take my kid also. A bit more of a drive than SARL but maybe worth checking out. Do you go there much? Pretty consistent?

[Alakai]

I PMd them and they told me they are stocking but when I looked up their website it said that they are stocking until Sept 1. Maybe I missed the catfish "season" there.

[etucker1959]

Based on this thread I was looking up Guasti, looks like fun. They stock 800 lbs a week and is about half the price of SARL. Maybe a good place to take my kid also. A bit more of a drive than SARL but maybe worth checking out. Do you go there much? Pretty consistent?

Here is the story with Guasti. 7 years ago it was one of my go too lakes. They only stocked the big one then more or less. It was great back then because they stocked it at the East end of the lake and the catfish would bleed out from there. (Good fishing) Then some knucklehead got the dumb idea to stock it in the middle of the lake by the fishing pier. (structure) Can you guess where most of the catfish swam too??? Yep right under the pier and they were hard to catch. So I wrote that lake off for years. Last year at this time out of desperation I gave it 1 last try. (the parks weren't very good to me at all) Low and behold when we got there, we found they stocked a small percentage of the plant in the small lake every week. 200 pounds go in the small lake and 600 pounds goes in the big lake. Yes they still swim under the pier, so that's why they stock both lakes now. So we gave it a try on Thursday afternoon. (day of the plant) As I reported in my report, we are fishing for suicidal fish on Thursday afternoon. Yes the fishing is good then but probably only in the small lake on Thursday afternoon. So any other time I wouldn't recommend it.

Pond catfishing is all about strategy. If you can figure it out it's great, if you can't it sucks. Since you have a son the Kids derby's are one way to go. There was a gentlemen name Geateam or something, he would post on here all about fishing the kids catfish derby's. He simply killed it!!! Look him up by going back a year or 2 in the city park section. You'll learn a lot!

[etucker1959]

I PMd them and they told me they are stocking but when I looked up their website it said that they are stocking until Sept 1. Maybe I missed the catfish "season" there.

No I don't think you did. As I said earlier this is about the time we started fishing it last year. We fished the whole month of Sept and averaged 15 catfish for 2 people every Thursday afternoon. The way to know for sure is to call them. Their pretty good at picking up the phone and answering any fishing questions you might have. (They do stop answering their phone at 3:00 pm) I'm going to call them tomorrow and if their going to stock this Thursday I might try it again. (depends on work)

p.s. I called Guasti today and they told me 2 more catfish stockings for the year.

[Alakai]

That's a shame really, I bet the pier is the thing I saw on one of the few videos there are about catfishing at the lake where people are weaving around a metal rail just to net the fish at the end.
I'm going to the fishing derby with him if you remember, I'm the one that PMd you about La Mirada also. You are a wealth of information! Thanks for all of it

[Alakai]

No I don't think you did. As I said earlier this is about the time we started fishing it last year. We fished the whole month of Sept and averaged 15 catfish for 2 people every Thursday afternoon. The way to know for sure is to call them. Their pretty good at picking up the phone and answering any fishing questions you might have. (They do stop answering their phone at 3:00 pm) I'm going to call them tomorrow and if their going to stock this Thursday I might try it again. (depends on work)

Shame, there is no way I can bring my kid on a Thursday and since the park is a hike for me I probably will not be able to make that either.

[etucker1959]

Shame, there is no way I can bring my kid on a Thursday and since the park is a hike for me I probably will not be able to make that either.

Work with what you got. You got the La Mirada derby coming up and another Orange County stocking in one of my favorite ponds.

[etucker1959]

Shame, there is no way I can bring my kid on a Thursday and since the park is a hike for me I probably will not be able to make that either.

I'm a Real Estate agent and today I was checking on an commercial property in Montebello. In the process of looking for this property on Beverly Blvd. I drove by one of my old stomping grounds (catfish pond) and low and behold their having a kid's catfish derby this Sat Sept 8. It is towards downtown LA but it is a relative safe park. (the sheriff station is right next to it) I don't know if your interested in something in that neck of the woods. But it's a pretty small pond, so the fishing is usually pretty good in there. The name of the park is Belvedere.

[Alakai]

I normally would but unfortunately we have plans this Sat already. I am planning on taking him to Clark on Sunday for a few hours and giving that a try.

Oh and also, I called Guasti yesterday they are stocking up to next week. The guy on the phone was telling me they catch fish all the time there but the dock pier thing does make it painful to fish the large lake

Got that bait you recommended also, jar was $7 wowza. Hoping for the best with that stuff. Guess I will try using a treble over the circle while using it

[gamekiller]

Alakai, good luck out there. Follow said advice and don’t over analyze it, after all its chasing truck fish. Know the schedules and follow the rule, the more it stinks the less they think