Echo Park Fishing Report

[Albert B]

OK first off I'm new to this website so hello, I'm Albert. I like fishing more than girls. I grew up fishing in Montana and Wyoming, but as of right I'm stuck in LA. Since I live here now I started bass fishing urban parks since bass are the closest thing to the wild trout that I live for. I live pretty close to downtown so I've always known about Echo Park. I fished it once in like 2009 and got skunked. One weekend earlier this year I got super bored and decided to try fishing Echo Park. I looked on the internet and the only info I could find was that there were some illegally stocked bass in there. So I get there and I look in the water near one of the lily pad areas, and I saw a bunch of baby bass sitting there. I casted my pink grub in there and got one on the drop, after that I got one more then I had to leave. I head back the next weekend with a very small lipless crankbait, and probably caught around 20 in the 6-10 inch range within an hour. I went back a few more times with similar results, also fishing a roboworm on a dropshot. Out of all the times I went there I only saw 3 fish over 3lbs. I've talked to a few people and this one guy said he caught 6 pounder on a frog, another said he got a 4 on a craw, and another a 2.5 on a crankbait. The biggest I've caught there was probably about a pound. Another interesting thing about this place is that I did not see one bluegill/sunfish while I was there, so I have no idea what these bass are eating other than the initial stock of mosquito fish. We really need a stock of baitfish if we want these bass to grow.

Also, whats the most consistent bass spot in LA/ Orange County area? How is the bank fishing at Puddingstone (I don't have a boat)?

Thanks

[Ifishtoolittle]

The bass were put in there by locals and green sunfish as well from what I've read. As far as forage goes its mosquito fish and illegally introduced snails and turtles. There's no crayfish, no shad, no bluegill, nada. So a 6lb bass considering what the fish have as forage is pretty damn impressive IMO. And, 10" fish is pretty darn nice too. The last time I was there, a year ago, all I got bit by were finger sized bass.

The lake used to have a plethora of fish and huge ones too at that, double digit sized fish from what I heard. Ever since the "revitalization" project the lake was never planned to be restocked with the fish that once roamed in the body of water. The plan was to just stock catfish and trout, which won't happen as much as before due to who knows what. We pay more and more each year for our licenses, but where does all the money go? I have no clue, but someone will chime in on that. It's pretty refreshing to see a report on Echo, thanks.

As for which spots are good for bass in the LA/OC area? You've got Kenneth Hahn, Cerritos, El Dorado, Legg lake, and a few more, but I'm no expert on the lakes so hopefully someone will help. I'd be depressed to go from sweetwater fishing in Montana and Wyoming to our "excellent" bass fishing here in Socal. lol

[Albert B]

Yeah a guy told me there used to be an 18lber in there lol. I checked the DFG site and apparently they only stock trout, so there is little hope for the bass of Echo park to grow. Believe it or not I'm not depressed because all of my spots up there are frozen over from October to June, and I stay up there in July/August. The trout fishing up there on rivers like the Madison is truly legendary, like 50+(heard of people catching 200+) 18+inch wild brown/ rainbows a day. No joke.

[AndyJ]

I used to kill the crappie at Echo Park lake on custom tied white flies with beady eyes, but that was in the mid 1970s. I would catch 10 to 20 nice crappie after school and cook them for dinner. Have not fished there since the 80s. My best catch at Echo Park was snagging my own radio that I dropped in the lake, LOL. Good luck with the bass.

[Albert B]

Fishing there tomorrow I'll let you guys know what happens

[Albert B]

Fished there today got a few small ones. Water was murky. I did see one bluegill on the south end of the lake, which is a good sign. I also noticed that there were a few schools of decent sized tilapia, I might try to catch one the next time I go. Might go to Ralph B. Clark Regional park tomorrow.

[AndyJ]

Try a white fly and split shot for the Tilapia, or maybe there are still crappie in the lake.

[Ifishtoolittle]

Yeah a guy told me there used to be an 18lber in there lol. I checked the DFG site and apparently they only stock trout, so there is little hope for the bass of Echo park to grow. Believe it or not I'm not depressed because all of my spots up there are frozen over from October to June, and I stay up there in July/August. The trout fishing up there on rivers like the Madison is truly legendary, like 50+(heard of people catching 200+) 18+inch wild brown/ rainbows a day. No joke.

There sure used to be. I'm not much of a trout guy, but if I can catch 50-200 trout over 12" I think I'd be happy with that!

[Ifishtoolittle]

Fished there today got a few small ones. Water was murky. I did see one bluegill on the south end of the lake, which is a good sign. I also noticed that there were a few schools of decent sized tilapia, I might try to catch one the next time I go. Might go to Ralph B. Clark Regional park tomorrow.

lol Someone throw in crayfish already! The Tilapia likely came from a nearby infamous concrete river.

[Albert B]

Ikr crayfish would be great. The carp fishing in the infamous concrete river is actually pretty good lol.