Lakes for Fishing around Christmas

[FISHISH]

So, I've got the all clear to go fishing any day around Christmas/new year. Any suggestions for a Lake for me to go to that just stocked or is going to stock trout near Arcadia?
P.S: would rather stay away from anywhere crowded though.
EDIT: Looks like City lakes are getting some fish, which city lake would you recommend?

[Theos]

So, I've got the all clear to go fishing any day around Christmas/new year. Any suggestions for a Lake for me to go to that just stocked or is going to stock trout near Arcadia?
P.S: would rather stay away from anywhere crowded though.
EDIT: Looks like City lakes are getting some fish, which city lake would you recommend?

Peck road park
Legg lake
Santa fe dam
Puddingstone

Don't forget your license.

[Althea Hamby]

Peck road park
Legg lake
Santa fe dam
Puddingstone

Don't forget your license.

I would love to go to Santa Fe dam. Will check out the others you mentioned.

[DarkShadow]

Any suggestions for a Lake for me to go to that just stocked or is going to stock....?


P.S: would rather stay away from anywhere crowded though.

What we have here is an old fashioned fishing paradox. Wanting to fish lakes that have just stocked, and recently stocked lakes being crowded, but not wanting to fish crowded lakes.

In any case, people usually check the stocking list: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/fishplants/

[Theos]

What we have here is an old fashioned fishing paradox. Wanting to fish lakes that have just stocked, and recently stocked lakes being crowded, but not wanting to fish crowded lakes.

In any case, people usually check the stocking list: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/fishplants/

That's why you don't chase the truck, just go fishing.

[DarkShadow]

That's why you don't chase the truck, just go fishing.

But if they just stocked, I'm definitely gonna catch a fish.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f0/08/15/f00815c2e7b2e39cdf28ac0b2e1d516b.gif

[FISHISH]

Wow am I really that bad? Can never guarantee to bring a fish (or sometimes only a pic), even the day after a stock. Everyone around after a stock seems to be catching though so I gotta keep learning.

[etucker1959]

Wow am I really that bad? Can never guarantee to bring a fish (or sometimes only a pic), even the day after a stock. Everyone around after a stock seems to be catching though so I gotta keep learning.

It's not as complicated as it seems! Start with light line, 2 pound test is a good start. Now when it comes to bait their is only 3 choices. 1. Powerbait and the 3 best colors are corn, chartreuse with garlic and natural light green with garlic. (dip in garlic helps too) 2. Night crawlers blown up and dipped in garlic too and artificial's. 3. Mini jigs or powermice. Colors on the Mini jigs are white or chartreuse. As for the powermice, you only need 2 colors. Pink and white and orange and white. (dip them in garlic too) If you have all this stuff, their is no way people around you will be catching and you won't! Lol

[Althea Hamby]

It's not as complicated as it seems! Start with light line, 2 pound test is a good start. Now when it comes to bait their is only 3 choices. 1. Powerbait and the 3 best colors are corn, chartreuse with garlic and natural light green with garlic. (dip in garlic helps too) 2. Night crawlers blown up and dipped in garlic too and artificial's. 3. Mini jigs or powermice. Colors on the Mini jigs are white or chartreuse. As for the powermice, you only need 2 colors. Pink and white and orange and white. (dip them in garlic too) If you have all this stuff, their is no way people around you will be catching and you won't! Lol

Great tips! There's no way one would be going home empty-handed!

[FISHISH]

Lol thank you sooo much. What brands/types of mini jigs would you recommend? Also do you jig your powermice or just carolina rig it?

[DarkShadow]

It's not as complicated as it seems! Start with light line, 2 pound test is a good start. Now when it comes to bait their is only 3 choices. 1. Powerbait and the 3 best colors are corn, chartreuse with garlic and natural light green with garlic. (dip in garlic helps too) 2. Night crawlers blown up and dipped in garlic too and artificial's. 3. Mini jigs or powermice. Colors on the Mini jigs are white or chartreuse. As for the powermice, you only need 2 colors. Pink and white and orange and white. (dip them in garlic too) If you have all this stuff, their is no way people around you will be catching and you won't! Lol

Saw that they stocked the local cement pond on Friday and I headed out there on Saturday afternoon around 2 pm. There were about a dozen guys around, and not many people were having luck.

I left the house with 3 flies. A Black Wooly Bugger, a White Wooly Bugger and a Green Wooly Bugger. On my third cast, I get a big strike that breaks off my White Wooly Bugger, prolly due to a halfass knot. I then rigged up the Black Wooly Bugger and released a limit of trout in 45 minutes.

The key was to move around and not stay in one spot. The pond hardly has any structure, so these stocker trout will swim around the pond, rather than staying on one spot.

If I were to use non fly gear, I'd get a 6'6 or 7 foot rod with 2# test, and rig up any mini jig with a 1/64 ounce jig head, perhaps 1/32 if you need further casting distance or are fishing deeper water. (This lake hardly gets to 5 feet deep I think).

I've also taken a page out of the bass fishing book, and have drop shotted or wacky rigged Power Worms and have had good luck. Just size down, obviously. BassPro sells 1/84 and 1/100 ounce jig heads in the fly fishing section, and I use those to wacky rig the Power Worms. For the drop shotting rig, I use a size 12 Owner mosquito hook, and use a small split shot as the weight.

Vary your retrieve. Sometimes they want a faster retrieve, sometimes they want a slower retrieve.

Another thing I was noticing is that the individuals that WERE catching fish on the PowerBait had a small leader and light line. It was fascinating watching these guys catching a fish, and their neighbors who were using 3 foot leaders and 40# test wouldn't notice this and make the change. Observing people who are having success and asking yourself why they are versus people to the right and left of them is also worth doing.

[etucker1959]

Lol thank you sooo much. What brands/types of mini jigs would you recommend? Also do you jig your powermice or just carolina rig it?

When it comes to mini jigs, it's just like Pizza. (their all good) When it comes to powermice, most people including myself, fish them just like bait. You can slowly move them if you get bored, but you don't have to. DS gave some other really good tips too!

[FISHISH]

Saw that they stocked the local cement pond on Friday and I headed out there on Saturday afternoon around 2 pm. There were about a dozen guys around, and not many people were having luck.

I left the house with 3 flies. A Black Wooly Bugger, a White Wooly Bugger and a Green Wooly Bugger. On my third cast, I get a big strike that breaks off my White Wooly Bugger, prolly due to a halfass knot. I then rigged up the Black Wooly Bugger and released a limit of trout in 45 minutes.

The key was to move around and not stay in one spot. The pond hardly has any structure, so these stocker trout will swim around the pond, rather than staying on one spot.

If I were to use non fly gear, I'd get a 6'6 or 7 foot rod with 2# test, and rig up any mini jig with a 1/64 ounce jig head, perhaps 1/32 if you need further casting distance or are fishing deeper water. (This lake hardly gets to 5 feet deep I think).

I've also taken a page out of the bass fishing book, and have drop shotted or wacky rigged Power Worms and have had good luck. Just size down, obviously. BassPro sells 1/84 and 1/100 ounce jig heads in the fly fishing section, and I use those to wacky rig the Power Worms. For the drop shotting rig, I use a size 12 Owner mosquito hook, and use a small split shot as the weight.

Vary your retrieve. Sometimes they want a faster retrieve, sometimes they want a slower retrieve.

Another thing I was noticing is that the individuals that WERE catching fish on the PowerBait had a small leader and light line. It was fascinating watching these guys catching a fish, and their neighbors who were using 3 foot leaders and 40# test wouldn't notice this and make the change. Observing people who are having success and asking yourself why they are versus people to the right and left of them is also worth doing.

ha ha lol I do use 2 pound test but usually have like a 2-3 ft leader maybe thats what I'm doing wrong. I'm not sure if using one of those cheapo zebco spin-cast rod and reel combos are preventing me from noticing bites (changed the pre-spooled cheapo line to 2 lb test). How short when do you mean when you say short?

[FISHISH]

When it comes to mini jigs, it's just like Pizza. (their all good) When it comes to powermice, most people including myself, fish them just like bait. You can slowly move them if you get bored, but you don't have to. DS gave some other really good tips too!

One time I made the mistake of eating tuna pizza. almost threw up!

[FISHISH]

etucker didn't you say that you were going to do a summary fishing report a while ago? still waiting!

[etucker1959]

etucker didn't you say that you were going to do a summary fishing report a while ago? still waiting!

I need 1 more catfish to make 30 Double digit Catfish for the crew this year! I tried to get it this weekend but no dice, on my only good bite he dropped it before I could swing. I still got till the end of the month to get it, so when I do, I'll write up the recap of the season.

[DarkShadow]

One time I made the mistake of eating tuna pizza. almost threw up!

https://i.gifer.com/4PO.gif



ha ha lol I do use 2 pound test but usually have like a 2-3 ft leader maybe thats what I'm doing wrong.

#1, stop using bait. I'm not saying bait isn't fun or productive or isn't for a specific species, but remember my comment above about stocked trout in cement ponds spending their time meandering around the swimming pool after recently being dumped in? When you fish bait for trout in a pond where they're constantly swimming around for a few days after being dumped in, you're essentially limiting yourself to the area where your bait has landed. By using jigs, spoons, wacky rigged Power Worms, or 'the latest hot lure that Pro-Staffers are pushing,' you are casting a wider net, (don't use a cast net, they are illegal, btw.) since your bait is presented in more areas than when you're sitting on the lawn chair chucking your inflated night crawler, which is getting bit on more by the pond's turtles than the fish.


I'm not sure if using one of those cheapo zebco spin-cast rod and reel combos are preventing me from noticing bites (changed the pre-spooled cheapo line to 2 lb test)

#B, if your budget permits, get yourself something other than your Zebco spin cast rods and break out those Zebcos in other situations, perhaps when they stock catfish, (no offense to catfish) or when you're out on a date, and you can just leave it lying on the edge of the shoreline with a hunk of mackerel on the end, since you were occupied with other things. Plus if your date wants to cast it, they won't leave a huge backlash in your spin cast reel.

I remember those Zebco beauties...I didn't feel the bite until the fish had digested my entire rig and was pooping out my hook. You feel the bite days later.

Get yourself some better gear, it makes the learning curve for catching stockers a lot easier.

And, don't go out and spend a bunch of coin on some of these 400 dollar "mini jig special trout rods" either. That's like spending money on a carbon fiber fly swatter. Get yourself a reputable Daiwa or Shimano 6'6 or 7 foot rod on sale somewhere that'll do the job, and drop $40 on a 1000 sized spinning reel, something that'll give you 100 yards of 4 pound test on the spool will suffice. Bigger bonus if it comes with an extra spool, because that way you can put 6# and it can double up as a rod for bass or cats.

I mean, everybody has great memories growing up with the Zebco spin cast rods, catching bluegill or bullheads off the dock with grandad, but you've graduated to chasing these elusive stocker trout. You will definitely need the right tools for the job.


How short when do you mean when you say short?

#4. You'll hear this a lot when asking for fishing advice.

"It depends."

To make a long paragraph short, let's just say that if you're fishing a cement pond where you can merge on a major freeway within 5 minutes of your location, odds are that the pond isn't that deep. There's no need for a 3 foot leader. Might as well fly line the ball of Power Bait and wait for them to start feeding on the surface. I would start at a foot and a half and work my way down from there.

But remember #1 above. It'll make you a better fisherman in the long run.

[FISHISH]

https://i.gifer.com/4PO.gif




#1, stop using bait. I'm not saying bait isn't fun or productive or isn't for a specific species, but remember my comment above about stocked trout in cement ponds spending their time meandering around the swimming pool after recently being dumped in? When you fish bait for trout in a pond where they're constantly swimming around for a few days after being dumped in, you're essentially limiting yourself to the area where your bait has landed. By using jigs, spoons, wacky rigged Power Worms, or 'the latest hot lure that Pro-Staffers are pushing,' you are casting a wider net, (don't use a cast net, they are illegal, btw.) since your bait is presented in more areas than when you're sitting on the lawn chair chucking your inflated night crawler, which is getting bit on more by the pond's turtles than the fish.



#B, if your budget permits, get yourself something other than your Zebco spin cast rods and break out those Zebcos in other situations, perhaps when they stock catfish, (no offense to catfish) or when you're out on a date, and you can just leave it lying on the edge of the shoreline with a hunk of mackerel on the end, since you were occupied with other things. Plus if your date wants to cast it, they won't leave a huge backlash in your spin cast reel.

I remember those Zebco beauties...I didn't feel the bite until the fish had digested my entire rig and was pooping out my hook. You feel the bite days later.

Get yourself some better gear, it makes the learning curve for catching stockers a lot easier.

And, don't go out and spend a bunch of coin on some of these 400 dollar "mini jig special trout rods" either. That's like spending money on a carbon fiber fly swatter. Get yourself a reputable Daiwa or Shimano 6'6 or 7 foot rod on sale somewhere that'll do the job, and drop $40 on a 1000 sized spinning reel, something that'll give you 100 yards of 4 pound test on the spool will suffice. Bigger bonus if it comes with an extra spool, because that way you can put 6# and it can double up as a rod for bass or cats.

I mean, everybody has great memories growing up with the Zebco spin cast rods, catching bluegill or bullheads off the dock with grandad, but you've graduated to chasing these elusive stocker trout. You will definitely need the right tools for the job.



#4. You'll hear this a lot when asking for fishing advice.

"It depends."

To make a long paragraph short, let's just say that if you're fishing a cement pond where you can merge on a major freeway within 5 minutes of your location, odds are that the pond isn't that deep. There's no need for a 3 foot leader. Might as well fly line the ball of Power Bait and wait for them to start feeding on the surface. I would start at a foot and a half and work my way down from there.

But remember #1 above. It'll make you a better fisherman in the long run.

I'm going to be honest, I have never caught a trout with a lure so i'm kinda scared to use one.

[etucker1959]

I'm going to be honest, I have never caught a trout with a lure so i'm kinda scared to use one.

Let me give you the best trout lure to throw in a cement pond stocked by DFG. Get a small kastmaster in any color and throw it around recently stocked trout. It's heavy so it casts well and if you want to release them you can!

[DarkShadow]

I'm going to be honest, I have never caught a trout with a lure so i'm kinda scared to use one.

Lacking confidence for something you've never done before is normal.

As eTucks said, get yourself the smallest Kastmaster you can and throw and wind in *SLOWLY*. I've seen the Kastmaster do some major line twist if you try to retrieve it quickly. It casts like a rocket, and it's obviously very durable. And if you can find it, the smallest Daredevl (https://dardevle.com/product/dardevle-skeeter-trout-weight-1-32oz/)is killer too. I carry a few of those in my trout kit as well.

Another technique that I'm not seeing used as much as it did back in the day is a simple mini jig under a small bobber. All the action is imparted as you reel in slowly, and you get the bobber as a visual aid for strikes. No more relying on your rod to 'feel' the bite, since you'll be looking at the bobber. Plus, you can adjust the distance between the bobber and the mini jig on the fly if the fish are deeper or shallower.

I grew up chasing trout at the local pond after stocks, and you definitely learn a lot about fishing and fish behavior when you do. Good luck out there next time!

[FISHISH]

Saw that they stocked the local cement pond on Friday and I headed out there on Saturday afternoon around 2 pm. There were about a dozen guys around, and not many people were having luck.

I left the house with 3 flies. A Black Wooly Bugger, a White Wooly Bugger and a Green Wooly Bugger. On my third cast, I get a big strike that breaks off my White Wooly Bugger, prolly due to a halfass knot. I then rigged up the Black Wooly Bugger and released a limit of trout in 45 minutes.

The key was to move around and not stay in one spot. The pond hardly has any structure, so these stocker trout will swim around the pond, rather than staying on one spot.

If I were to use non fly gear, I'd get a 6'6 or 7 foot rod with 2# test, and rig up any mini jig with a 1/64 ounce jig head, perhaps 1/32 if you need further casting distance or are fishing deeper water. (This lake hardly gets to 5 feet deep I think).

I've also taken a page out of the bass fishing book, and have drop shotted or wacky rigged Power Worms and have had good luck. Just size down, obviously. BassPro sells 1/84 and 1/100 ounce jig heads in the fly fishing section, and I use those to wacky rig the Power Worms. For the drop shotting rig, I use a size 12 Owner mosquito hook, and use a small split shot as the weight.

Vary your retrieve. Sometimes they want a faster retrieve, sometimes they want a slower retrieve.

Another thing I was noticing is that the individuals that WERE catching fish on the PowerBait had a small leader and light line. It was fascinating watching these guys catching a fish, and their neighbors who were using 3 foot leaders and 40# test wouldn't notice this and make the change. Observing people who are having success and asking yourself why they are versus people to the right and left of them is also worth doing.

If you don't mind telling me, just outta curiosity, what cement lake?

[DarkShadow]

If you don't mind telling me, just outta curiosity, what cement lake?

I'll give you a few clues.

1. If you've ever committed a crime in East LA and had to go to court, the 'lake' is right near that courthouse.

2. If you've ever been spent the night in jail in East LA for a crime you committed, the 'lake' is right near that jail.

3. If you've ever had to visit your probation officer, because of a crime you've committed in East LA, the 'lake' is right near that probation office.

4. It was also stocked last week.

[FISHISH]

I'll give you a few clues.

1. If you've ever committed a crime in East LA and had to go to court, the 'lake' is right near that courthouse.

2. If you've ever been spent the night in jail in East LA for a crime you committed, the 'lake' is right near that jail.

3. If you've ever had to visit your probation officer, because of a crime you've committed in East LA, the 'lake' is right near that probation office.

4. It was also stocked last week.

Hansen dam?
belvedere park lake?
Alondra Park Lake?

Am i close?

never did any of these things though

1. If you've ever committed a crime in East LA and had to go to court, the 'lake' is right near that courthouse.

2. If you've ever been spent the night in jail in East LA for a crime you committed, the 'lake' is right near that jail.

3. If you've ever had to visit your probation officer, because of a crime you've committed in East LA, the 'lake' is right near that probation office.


(edit:) Haha found it thanks! could have made it a little more fun

52994

(edit again:) Stocking again too! I'm gonna assume all the tips u gave me still apply? What other flies can I bring (says the man with a zebco but owns a fly rod)? And because I'm asking Dark Shadow what does it depend on?

52995

[etucker1959]

I'll give you a few clues.

1. If you've ever committed a crime in East LA and had to go to court, the 'lake' is right near that courthouse.

2. If you've ever been spent the night in jail in East LA for a crime you committed, the 'lake' is right near that jail.

3. If you've ever had to visit your probation officer, because of a crime you've committed in East LA, the 'lake' is right near that probation office.

4. It was also stocked last week.

I'm an dumb old white boy from OC and I like that lake!

[DarkShadow]

(edit:) Haha found it thanks! could have made it a little more fun

(edit again:) Stocking again too! I'm gonna assume all the tips u gave me still apply? What other flies can I bring (says the man with a zebco but owns a fly rod)? And because I'm asking Dark Shadow what does it depend on?


1. Don't overthink it with the flies. Your standard beaded Wooly Bugger should get fish to go.

2. Throw a spoon on the Zebco. Walk around the lake, cover area quickly, as the fish will be also covering area quickly when they're first stocked. Again, the smallest Kastmaster or Daredevl you can get should get you bit. While you're covering the entire shoreline, pay attention to what others are using especially if they are getting fish.

3. If you don't get bit on the spoon, you may want to slow it down. Toss a 1/32 ounce mini jig out there, and vary your depth and retrieve until you find the right combination. Don't overthink colors either. Get yourself a few pearl/shad colored jigs, a few chartreuse colored jigs, and perhaps a natural color (green?) and you're set. If you find that the fish are not committing to the jig, try adding a bobber to it to further slow your presentation down. That way, your jig remains in the fish's strike zone longer and the bobber serves not only to suspend your jig, but also as a strike indicator as well.

4. If ALL that doesn't work, you'll have to consult with eTucker and perhaps he'll give you advice on how to properly use Berkley's line of PowerBait products. (The last time I used Powerbait, i left a bottle of it ajar in my cargo shorts and it went into the dryer and the metal lid fell off (yes, I'm that old, I used to use Powerbait when it came with the metal lid (https://thumb4.zeppy.io/d/l400/pict/193674089217/berkley-power-bait-trout-bait-2-jars-white)), and our clothes smelled like $h!t for 2 months, and my mom was pissed.)

*

I might head out there after they stock to throw some small swimbaits. The last time I was out there, I saw a few trout getting chased by something, and it wasn't the ducks.

[FISHISH]

4. If ALL that doesn't work, you'll have to consult with eTucker and perhaps he'll give you advice on how to properly use Berkley's line of PowerBait products. (The last time I used Powerbait, i left a bottle of it ajar in my cargo shorts and it went into the dryer and the metal lid fell off (yes, I'm that old, I used to use Powerbait when it came with the metal lid (https://thumb4.zeppy.io/d/l400/pict/193674089217/berkley-power-bait-trout-bait-2-jars-white)), and our clothes smelled like $h!t for 2 months, and my mom was pissed.)

*

I might head out there after they stock to throw some small swimbaits. The last time I was out there, I saw a few trout getting chased by something, and it wasn't the ducks.

power bait had metal lids? WTF

[FISHISH]

How about lakes that are a deeper like Silverwood? Or lakes that are a little bit deeper and larger like santa fe dam? has anyone gone there before?

[crappiemike]

I don’t think Santa Fe is deep at all ?


CM

[FISHISH]

about 26 ft. idk if that is considered deep.

[FISHISH]

Yep right on, I'm a rookie

[drifter023]

Yup he pm me at first but only answered on the forum all questions should be put out on the forum so all can see. No secrets here we should all help every one Theos called me out on this so I do not reply to any of his replies any more not Theos but FISHSH.

[FISHISH]

Yea lol I was worried I would get called out or that you didnt want to say your spots and tips to everyone

[drifter023]

But that was your first post plus on your sign up you do not say where you are from or any information on you?

[FISHISH]

But that was your first post plus on your sign up you do not say where you are from or any information on you?

wait you can do that? ok I'll figure it out now