Tips for fishing Lake Lopez

We are going camping there first week of April and I would like to catch my first crappie. What baits/areas should I look?

I like to go to the area past the store and the big peninsula. i think it's called the Wittenberg Arm of the lake. There is a cove and fishing dock there, and restrooms, picnic tables, etc. Also, the docks down to the right of the store (just on the near side of the big peninsula) is good. Lopez is an excellent panfish lake. I have caught Redear, Bluegill and Crappie there, and maybe some small bass. Also, we usually see some turkeys running around the area (the real thing, not the human kind).

The marina docks are sometimes good for a slow pick on minijigs / worms. There's a lot of space but also a lot of anglers. Its a really easy place to fish but not my favorite spot.

In the mornings I'll sometimes walk the coves on the open side (cottonwood, mallard, or swimbeach). It's hit or miss but some really good trout and crappie fishing can happen around now.

During the day I like to take a boat out. This is what makes Lopez great to me. The entire lake is covered with the fishiest looking areas in all of California (haha to me at least). Head left into Lopez Arm and any cove has sticks + vegetation in deep water. Even if you just want to tie off and spend the day relaxing, there's great fishing. You'll just naturally run into all different types of fish throwing anything: dropshot, splitshot, tubes, twisty grubs, or nightcrawlers. The lake gets pretty windy so I'm usually back to the campsite by lunchtime.

But if you're serious about Crappie I'd recommend 3 spots. The cove right behind the marina where all the boats are parked. The the cove straight across from the main channel. And then work my way right into Wittenberg flats. It's kind of boring looking in that direction but there should be fish there.

In the evening I like to drive from the campsite down to the parking lot by the main entrance. If you walk over to the bridge you can sometimes score some crappie or bass.

Also like Lefty said, look for turkeys and deer.

I forgot to mention that I have only fished Lopez from shore. It's probably a lot better from a boat, but we have had good success shore fishing. In addition to the panfish, I caught a humongous sucker from the fishing pier at Wittenberg. LOL I also had a big fish go straight under the docks at the marina and way out to the other side. I put my pole down in the water to avoid having the line rub on the docks, but the fish eventually broke me off (probably a large bass on 4 pound line).

Oh yeah, Temp is correct about the deer too. We saw about 5 deer by the lake last time, probably coming down for a drink

P.S. I don't think they stock trout there anymore, unless they started again. There was some conflict regarding native steelhead populations. There is a sparse wild steelhead population n the creek apparently, but few if any wild trout in the lake, so it's basically stockers when they do stock it.

Honestly, I don't care what species I catch. I just want to cross crappie off my bucket list fish. And yes, we will rent a boat. Looking to hit Cachuma on the way home though.

You are likely to be in luck at Lopez, Fishish. There are a lot of fish in there and they usually aren't difficult to catch. We have caught some fish in there in November, December and January trips, but a lot more in the spring or summer when they are really biting. We have been there 5 or 6 times I think, and always caught fish, even during the colder months.

I just checked, and they are stocking Lopez with trout again, but now they are triploid trout, so they won't spawn and hybridize with the native steelhead strain.

Do you happen to know when? Cuz the state website doesn't say much info.

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DFG stocking

Yes, as Sodapop's post indicates, the DFW is scheduled to stock Lopez Lake February 20 and February 27. After that, I don't see any further schedule.