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Thread: Lopez crappie

  1. #1

    Default Lopez crappie

    I love eating panfish, and since stripers have pretty much cleaned them out of Castaic and Pyramid, and Piru has quagga mussels, I headed up to Lake Lopez for a couple days of camping and crappie fishing. I'm posting here because I think that's still Southern California.
    The first day I tried a few spots near the marina for nothing, then moved up the lake and found them in 20 feet of water. They wanted the green jig with a crappie nibble...tried a bunch of other stuff but that's what they wanted. The problem was, they were all small...8 inches or less...still fun though and good eating, so I caught a bunch, kept the "bigger" ones, filleted them and packed them in ice at the end of the day. I noticed while cleaning them that they were mostly males, and the one female I caught, still a little one, was in a little deeper water.
    So the next morning, I tried the same spot that was best the day before, but a little deeper, hoping I'd find the bigger females there...I caught a bunch of little crappie there too, along with a nice smallmouth that wanted a crappie jig. I let the smallie go, and when I cleaned the crappie, I found out that I had guessed right...they were mostly females, but still small! I never found the bigger ones...no pics since little crappie don't excite very many people, but they sure do fry up nice...so nice that I don't mind filleting a bunch of them.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murrieta
    Posts
    3,789

    Default

    Well I think you are right as it says "freshwater fishing reports, information and discussion for all Southern counties from San Luis Obispo South to Mexico and East to Nevada and Arizona" in the forum so cal freshwater section. Nice to hear a report from one of my old adopted home lakes. I used to camp out there a lot when I lived in SLO. Caught a lot of LMB's and smallies at Lopez. Caught a lot of Crappie and gills for dinner there as well. Thanks for posting...

  3. #3

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by HawgZWylde View Post
    Well I think you are right as it says "freshwater fishing reports, information and discussion for all Southern counties from San Luis Obispo South to Mexico and East to Nevada and Arizona" in the forum so cal freshwater section. Nice to hear a report from one of my old adopted home lakes. I used to camp out there a lot when I lived in SLO. Caught a lot of LMB's and smallies at Lopez. Caught a lot of Crappie and gills for dinner there as well. Thanks for posting...
    Thanks HawgZWylde...guess I didn't read the forum description Lopez is a gem, and a nice place to camp as well as fish...lot's of wildlife...it's a great place to catch redear too, usually a little later in the spring.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Beaumont, CA
    Posts
    503

    Default

    Lopez is such a beautiful place to fish. The camp grounds are ever more beautiful. Last year I talked my bas club into driving up there for a two day tournament. Such great times with all of the deer and wild turkeys wondering through the camp grounds!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Norco
    Posts
    252

    Default

    Big Bear is the same way, lot's of small crappie. Hear stories of big ones never seen one though.

  6. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BassinPLS View Post
    Lopez is such a beautiful place to fish. The camp grounds are ever more beautiful. Last year I talked my bas club into driving up there for a two day tournament. Such great times with all of the deer and wild turkeys wondering through the camp grounds!
    Yes it is a beautiful place to camp and fish...and I'll be back, but I hope I get a better experience next time I go through their boat inspection...my old aluminum boat was dry as a bone and clean, but the guy inspecting it didn't like the fact that there were some small bumps on the bottom...he told me he didn't think I'd pass...then he asked his boss, who told him to pass me...a lot of sweating on my part for nothing.

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JigStop View Post
    Big Bear is the same way, lot's of small crappie. Hear stories of big ones never seen one though.
    If you're a crappie fillet fan like me, a bunch of small crappie is only a minor disappointment

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Santa Clarita
    Posts
    3,898

    Default

    Thanks for the report. Congrats on the catching!

    Crappie fishing is fun!

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fishinone View Post
    Thanks for the report. Congrats on the catching!

    Crappie fishing is fun!
    Thanks fishinone...agreed, they're beautiful, tasty, and you can catch them on jigs!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    BAKERSFIELD
    Posts
    5,480

    Default

    WTG on the fish fry fixins stumpy!

    TRAIL BLAZER

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