Man is it great to have Irvine Lake open to the public again!!!
What a sight it was to see the parking lot filling with anxious anglers at the opener. It was so cool seeing close friends, familiar FNN faces, the lake staff and various company reps/prostaff alike...not to mention all the media coverage for the big day! The lake even put out a continental breakfast spread for everyone to enjoy, great touch to kick off the event. A bunch of the guys from Team 57 gathered for the big day and we had an absolute blast out there. The jokes and stories were flowing just like old times at the home lake. We were all so happy to see Dana Rae aka Fisherman57's memorial tree still standing strong despite the construction.
HUGE props to Trollmiester for presenting Supervisor Don Wagner with a plaque of appreciation at the ribbon cutting ceremony on behalf of the the group and the fishing community as a whole for his efforts to reopen the lake.WON did a great job covering the day's event if you haven't read the article:http://www.wonews.com/t-SouthernCAFreshwater_IrvineOpener_082119.aspx?fbcl id=IwAR3P69srfateu7TPaN4yYapX-PjZnudee4Me_c4WhthXoUPc8KTyIvF5dTs
Although much has changed at the lake, many of the key elements and "Vine Charm" still remain. Parking is only $5. I would suggest a cart or wagon if you are bringing the kitchen sink with you like we usually do! I believe with time we'll eventually see the fishing opportunities expand beyond what is currently available. My personal take on it for now is just appreciate the lake for what it currently offers, show up to provide some support during the initial transition period and just enjoy the view...maybe even catch a fish! "San Pedro Jake" and Jason "OZ" nailed 6.5 and 8lb catfish respectively on fresh mack and several larger fish were caught. I really can't wait to see what Fall brings as the weather cools, the Vine always kicked out nice cats in October. Good luck out there.
TD