"local" Winter stream trout options

I don't get to fish as much as I used to, so apologies for lack of posts. I got a free morning from the wife and kids the saturday after thanksgiving. Looking to try out some custom trout spinners that I made and even fly fishing for the second time. I'm having trouble deciding where to go. Options are:

West fork SGR,
Lytle Creek or
Santa Ana River,

I've heard all 3 have been affected by fires the last few years. I'm leaning SAR since they did stock it over the summer but it is the farthest drive which means less time to fish. anyway was hoping someone might have been to any of these places recently and give me some insight into conditions. open to meeting up if your free that day too since i'll be solo.

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Originally Posted by twin22s

I don't get to fish as much as I used to, so apologies for lack of posts. I got a free morning from the wife and kids the saturday after thanksgiving. Looking to try out some custom trout spinners that I made and even fly fishing for the second time. I'm having trouble deciding where to go. Options are:

West fork SGR,
Lytle Creek or
Santa Ana River,

I've heard all 3 have been affected by fires the last few years. I'm leaning SAR since they did stock it over the summer but it is the farthest drive which means less time to fish. anyway was hoping someone might have been to any of these places recently and give me some insight into conditions. open to meeting up if your free that day too since i'll be solo.

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I would probably choose the Santa Ana River too, although I live closer to that area. I did go there this summer, targeting Brown Trout, and managed to catch 3 of them (kind of small, but that was expected). I also saw 2 or 3 stocker Rainbows in a pool near the road, but they would not bite. For the future, I am also considering trying other locations upstream or downstream from where I fished this summer, but where I fished was fairly good.

I read that the main parking lot for West Fork SGR has been closed for quite a while due to a fire. As far as I know, it is still closed. I have never fished Lytle Creek, and don't really know how to get there.

I think you are supposed to have an Adventure Pass for these areas, by the way.

Update, never made it anywhere, spent a couple hours at the pier and the harbor that weekend and last weekend. tough fishing but did manage a halibut and surf perch from the pier, and 1 spotted bass in the harbor. still have plans to get away for some remote trout fishing but probably won't be until January at this point.

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Originally Posted by twin22s

Update, never made it anywhere, spent a couple hours at the pier and the harbor that weekend and last weekend. tough fishing but did manage a halibut and surf perch from the pier, and 1 spotted bass in the harbor. still have plans to get away for some remote trout fishing but probably won't be until January at this point.

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Was it a keeper halibut?

Short, about 13”, the spottie in the harbor was bigger, lol.
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All of our local trout options are pretty much shot, thanks to lots of factors.

Essentially, the 'risk,' versus the 'reward' is way too much. Had some randomly epic days last year, but those were far and between.