Big Catfish Info About Irvine Lake

[luv 2 catch kats]

WHATS UP GUYS,
MY NAME IS KYLE AND THIS IS MY FIRST OFFICIAL POST TO THIS SITE. I JUST READ THE POST ABOUT BLUHUNTER'S 42LB WHISKERFISH. NICE JOB BRO. I'VE BEEN FISHING IRVINE LAKE ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS. MY BEST THERE IS A 40LB BLUE CAT ON FRESH MACK BACK IN 2000. I CAUGHT IT ON THE WEST SHORE NEAR THE DAM. I HAVEN'T HAD MUCH LUCK LATELY FISHING FOR THE THE BIGUNS. CAN ANYONE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE AS TO WHAT ARE THE BETTER AREAS TO FISH FOR THE BIG CATS THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. THANKS :cool2:

[mch4fishing]

Well I lived in Cali for over 40 years and my best to you would be to try the southern states.
I did and well I live in East Texas now and can't even begain to tell you how good the Fishin is down here.
But I do miss the Rainbow Trout.
Not a one down here.
Good luck and tight lines

[mch4fishing]

By the way Welcome to the BOC:cool2:

[Pontoon]

Wow! a 40 pound blue cat. It sounds to me like you know what you are doing at Irvine and I think you said the key word when you mentioned "fresh mac". I've just got into the catfishing scene this year and unfortunately this weekend is the last weekend of night fishing at Irvine. The trout are coming and so are the crowds.
I'd like to learn more about some other areas in calif. to fish the cats myself so I'll be watching the replies to this post real close.

[luv 2 catch kats]

HEY PONTOON,

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE LARGER BLUE CATS ARE USUALLY ON THE CHEW AT LAKE SAN VICENTE IN SAN DIEGO THIS TIME OF YEAR. I READ A FEW OF CATMANDO'S OLDER POST FROM HIS WEBSITE. AND HE'S REPORTED GREAT SUCCESS IN RECENT YEARS WITH FRESH MAC AND HIS SIGNATURE BAIT. SO I'LL PROBABLY MAKE A RUN DOWN SOUTH THE END OF THIS MONTH OR BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER.:cool2:

[luv 2 catch kats]

HEY PONTOON,

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE LARGER BLUE CATS ARE USUALLY ON THE CHEW AT LAKE SAN VICENTE IN SAN DIEGO THIS TIME OF YEAR. I READ A FEW OF CATMANDO'S OLDER POST FROM HIS WEBSITE. AND HE'S REPORTED GREAT SUCCESS IN RECENT YEARS WITH FRESH MAC AND HIS SIGNATURE BAIT. SO I'LL PROBABLY MAKE A RUN DOWN SOUTH THE END OF THIS MONTH OR BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER.:cool2:
"WISHIN' YOU TIGHT LINES AND SCREAMIN' REELS 4 LIFE"

[whiskers77]

This is the time of year that I don't like in southern California because lakes start getting stocked with trout. That is a bad thing because trout seem to really bring out the crowds, I'm not really sure why trout are so popular in southern California but it marks the end of catfish season and more people to put up with.

[bluehunter]

Welcome to the BOC.

Its sucks that Irvine has stoped night fishing for the season, but there are others lakes to target the big ones in So cal. Like you said San vicente is it, but San V will close its doors for 5 years by 2008 for a dam building project and increase of water. So if you want to get them at San V its going to have to be this winter season and Spring.

Lower Otay in san Diego also have big blues. They are rarely caught, but they are in there and my intentions is to learn that lake for them. El capitan and jennings have them as well but not as big as san V and Otay. So basically for the big monsters you are narrowed to 3 lakes in So cal. San V, Otay, and irvine. If you are into flatheads there are massive size ones in the Colorado river and I was turned on to them last spring with great success. I target them as well during the spring and early summer months. Do not like being out there in extreme heat.

As far as spots at Irvine go the cats there are predictable you just have to follow them.

Early summer thru summer they are shallow and can be found primarily in the flats. Look for areas of drop offs and dredges and they are normally there. When the water starts to cool in early fall they migrate to deeper water. Mid lake is good then. During the fall thru winter they can be found in the deeper areas of the lake. Concentrate in deep water spots then.

During a rain and after a rain they can go into shallow water to feed as rain gets them going and also warms up the water a few temperatures.This is during the winter time I may add. I have some details on my site as well.

[luv 2 catch kats]

BLUEHUNTER,

I appreciate the information about the vine and how the cats moves throughout the year. I agree it really sucks that the night fishing hours at the vine are over. Although ,I'm glad you brought up Lower Otay lake. I vaguely recall some fish reports last year around this time or earlier about the biguns down that way. Maybe we can hook up and make a run down south to Otay one day. You also mentioned flathead fishin'.Read your post about that 30+flathead you caught. The coolest part about that is you caught it with live bait. Next year I'm definitely gona give that a shot. Once again, thanks for the info bro and good fishin'.

:cool2:
"THE ONLY GOOD ROD IS A BENT ROD"

[Flatheadhunter33]

I fished Irvine a few times when I was stationed at EL Toro (long time ago:tounge_out: ). Until i fished there, I had never used mackerel for catfish. It worked better than any other bait we tried there though... Since El Toro was closed, I have never been back there. AAAAHHH, that was a great place to be stationed:still_dreaming: !

[bluehunter]

El Toro was a cool place we use to go to the commissary there a lot. If you could have got stationed at Camp Pendleton that would have been cool as well. I have a cousin at 29 palms and he is hating it.

[bluehunter]

BLUEHUNTER,

I appreciate the information about the vine and how the cats moves throughout the year. I agree it really sucks that the night fishing hours at the vine are over. Although ,I'm glad you brought up Lower Otay lake. I vaguely recall some fish reports last year around this time or earlier about the biguns down that way. Maybe we can hook up and make a run down south to Otay one day. You also mentioned flathead fishin'.Read your post about that 30+flathead you caught. The coolest part about that is you caught it with live bait. Next year I'm definitely gona give that a shot. Once again, thanks for the info bro and good fishin'.

:cool2:
"THE ONLY GOOD ROD IS A BENT ROD"



No problem. Glad to help.

[mch4fishing]

Try the Calif Aque Duct in the High Desert eather by the 14 Fwy or By the 15 Fwy they both produce Cats and Strippers:big_smile:

[luv 2 catch kats]

THANKS FOR THE INFO REGARDING THE AQUEDUCT. I FISHED THERE MAYBE 10 OR 12 YRS. AGO WITH MY DAD AND MY GODFATHER. WE CAUGHT A COUPLE OF STRIPERS BUT NO LUCK WITH THE CATS. IN 2007, I PLAN TO INVESTIGATE A LOT MORE AREAS TO FISH CATS PARTICULARLY THE COLORADO RIVER DOWN IN BLYTHE.
:cool2:

[mch4fishing]

there are some good threads Re:o river at blyth check out the arcives

[plumbertom1]

I haven't been to Irvine for a few years so I can't help you there but give Me a shout when you want to fish the lakes in Ventura, L.A.or San Berdo Co. or the aqua-duct maybe we can get together two heads are better than one and two baits are better than one.

[richard dunbar]

If you can travel for a weekend or longer and are willing to try unfamiluar territory I recomend Clear lake up north in Lake County. That 22 lb channel on my prof. was caught there from the shore and my father-inlaw catches 50+lb blues and channels from a boat every yr. This time of yr the best place is from the town of Nice north all the way up to the river and even up the river about 1 mile. Just 1 1/2 hrs south of that is the bay area and the delta, great for large cats, strippers, and sturgion