Finding Bigmouth-Prado Lake Edition

I choose Monday, May 17 to take the boat out to Prado Lake and, of course, I was looking forward the outing. As I positioned my trolling motor powered Tracker on the crumbling launch ramp, my excitement was being overtaken by anxiety and moments of dread. I assuaged my fears somewhat as I remembered reading an old Facebook post by Prado Lake employees that the lake had been restocked with 1000 Bass, some over, and the rest under a pound, plus 5000 Bluegill. I can start to relate to the Finding Bigfoot gang when they leave a town hall meeting after hearing all of the stories of Sasquatch residing in the immediate area.
My past two Spring excursions, in 2019 and 2020, were disasters...absolutely nothing to show for. The result of the 2018 Big Drain. Will 2021 be any different?
10 years ago I retired from 3 decades in law enforcement, safe and sound I might add. And this earned me the right to fish those coveted days of the week-Monday to Thursday (Friday is golf day).
Up until 2018, Prado was basically a hidden gem to the local bass guys, especially those with boats. 10 Bass a day was the norm for me, double and triple that in the spring time
My quiver of 5 rods were secured with the following...chrome Rattle Trap, Bomber Baby Bass crank, a jerk bait, a Senko and the ever reliable Margarita Mutilator laced to a dropshot.
My past experiences at Prado has allowed my to say that I had that lake dialed in! Great fishery and only a couple of miles from the casa.
Today the lake was pretty much void of anglers, just a few trying to catch the dwindling and dying stocked trout population. The 'cat guys' haven't shown up yet.
Well, to get to the point, I hit the trifecta in terms of Prado Bass fishing...another skunk!
Hit my usual areas, threw the proven arsenals at 'em and even trolled a bit over the new vegetation that grew on the lake bottom when they were repairing the underground pipe.
And just like 'Bobo' and his crew after every episode, I, too, left the lake with my head down, driving home in disappointment. Do Bass even exist there anymore? Maybe I knocking on trees might help.

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Originally Posted by sevenout

I choose Monday, May 17 to take the boat out to Prado Lake and, of course, I was looking forward the outing. As I positioned my trolling motor powered Tracker on the crumbling launch ramp, my excitement was being overtaken by anxiety and moments of dread. I assuaged my fears somewhat as I remembered reading an old Facebook post by Prado Lake employees that the lake had been restocked with 1000 Bass, some over, and the rest under a pound, plus 5000 Bluegill. I can start to relate to the Finding Bigfoot gang when they leave a town hall meeting after hearing all of the stories of Sasquatch residing in the immediate area.
My past two Spring excursions, in 2019 and 2020, were disasters...absolutely nothing to show for. The result of the 2018 Big Drain. Will 2021 be any different?
10 years ago I retired from 3 decades in law enforcement, safe and sound I might add. And this earned me the right to fish those coveted days of the week-Monday to Thursday (Friday is golf day).
Up until 2018, Prado was basically a hidden gem to the local bass guys, especially those with boats. 10 Bass a day was the norm for me, double and triple that in the spring time
My quiver of 5 rods were secured with the following...chrome Rattle Trap, Bomber Baby Bass crank, a jerk bait, a Senko and the ever reliable Margarita Mutilator laced to a dropshot.
My past experiences at Prado has allowed my to say that I had that lake dialed in! Great fishery and only a couple of miles from the casa.
Today the lake was pretty much void of anglers, just a few trying to catch the dwindling and dying stocked trout population. The 'cat guys' haven't shown up yet.
Well, to get to the point, I hit the trifecta in terms of Prado Bass fishing...another skunk!
Hit my usual areas, threw the proven arsenals at 'em and even trolled a bit over the new vegetation that grew on the lake bottom when they were repairing the underground pipe.
And just like 'Bobo' and his crew after every episode, I, too, left the lake with my head down, driving home in disappointment. Do Bass even exist there anymore? Maybe I knocking on trees might help.

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Sorry to hear about the Skunk! 10 years ago, I took my boat in there and was amazed I had the only boat on the lake that day. I was also amazed at what an advantage a boat could be in the hands of the right person. (the right person wasn't me that day) However, I did have dreams of fishing their big trout tournament and being the only boat on the lake that day. One day if we live long enough, both of us can make our dreams come true! Lol You having your personal Bass lake back and me trolling for that big trout!

I kayak fish Prado 2-3 times a month. I haven't seen or caught any bass since the last drain down, which was a total draining. The other times they drained the lake they left a pool in the deep end for the fish, and it didn't seem to effect the bass population. Catfish population seems to be good 12 months a year, but bass may be gone for quite a while, if not forever. With the commorant and pelican population there, they may never recover.
I mostly fish it cause it's one of the only So. Cal lakes I can fish on a weekday, and be the only one out on the lake. Catching a 6.25# trout this year, and a 8.04# trout last year 8 minutes from home is nice too.

Sorry to hear the fishing didn't go as planned. Thanks for confirming that Prado lake doesn't care about bass anglers either. It's disappointing that we live in a region with thousands of anglers that love bass fishing yet the lames running these lakes don't take advantage of that.