California blues?

[Flatheadhunter33]

The thread on the state record blue out San Diego got me wondering...aside from resevior fishing, does any river areas in Southern Cali hold good numbers of blues?

[Wvawitrado]

well my friend I have lived here for 22 years and I have no clue the first spot to catch a blue at....Except the san vicente reservoir

[Flatheadhunter33]

Is that a pay lake? When I lived in Cali, I didnt do much freshwater fishing excpet for the occasional trip out to Dixon Lake.

[plumbertom1]

Is that a pay lake? When I lived in Cali, I didnt do much freshwater fishing excpet for the occasional trip out to Dixon Lake.
San Diego City lake just like Dixon.
As far as I'm aware there are no blue catfish in any of the Ca. river systems.

[Wvawitrado]

No I dont beleive it is But what constitutes a pay lake?

[Flatheadhunter33]

San Diego City lake just like Dixon.
As far as I'm aware there are no blue catfish in any of the Ca. river systems.

That sucks...I envy some of the other states that have good deep rivers with schools of those big blues...

[Flatheadhunter33]

No I dont beleive it is But what constitutes a pay lake?


I once fished Irvine Lake. It's a pay lake where we had to pay an entrance fee to get on the water...that was the first time I'd ever seen mackerel used as bait.:big_smile: Guys were catching cats left and right though because the lake had just been stocked.

[Wvawitrado]

I once fished Irvine Lake. It's a pay lake where we had to pay an entrance fee to get on the water...that was the first time I'd ever seen mackerel used as bait.:big_smile: Guys were catching cats left and right though because the lake had just been stocked.
So the pay lake just is the entrance fee? I fish millerton and its 14 bucks a pop and they dont stock sh$t

[plumbertom1]

So the pay lake just is the entrance fee? I fish millerton and its 14 bucks a pop and they dont stock sh$t
Irvine stocks weekly with good sized fish.
What they charge is $20 per person and $10 boat launch. 5 fish limit with second limits for $15 additional.
Santa Ana river lakes stocks weekly.
What they charge is $20 per person per session 5 fish limit, two sessions daily and $60 for 24 hrs with a 15 fish lmit.
These are examples of pay lakes.

[Wvawitrado]

Irvine stocks weekly with good sized fish.
What they charge is $20 per person and $10 boat launch. 5 fish limit with second limits for $15 additional.
Santa Ana river lakes stocks weekly.
What they charge is $20 per person per session 5 fish limit, two sessions daily and $60 for 24 hrs with a 15 fish lmit.
These are examples of pay lakes.
Thanks plumbertom I knew it was different than just park fees good info

[Flatheadhunter33]

Irvine stocks weekly with good sized fish.
What they charge is $20 per person and $10 boat launch. 5 fish limit with second limits for $15 additional.
Santa Ana river lakes stocks weekly.
What they charge is $20 per person per session 5 fish limit, two sessions daily and $60 for 24 hrs with a 15 fish lmit.
These are examples of pay lakes.

Kind of makes me wonder where they get all these fish from that they stock with (I'd imagine a fishery) and how much they pay? Heck I wish that Az could adpot something along those lines here around the Yuma area. Mittry could stand a good stocking!

[riverbud55]

Man blues in SoCal river LOL theres not a river I know of that you could float a canoe in during the summer:roll_eyes: be lucky to find a place that had a 6'' channel cat in it. The only place to find big blues are the San Diego City lakes and Irvine (guess they could have some in the bath tubs SRL/haspera/corona:smile2:) the SD & Irvine lake the fish are stocked with fish that in most cases are less then 15lb and then will grow into the 100lb size fish, at the bath tubs they install the large fish and wouldn't think they put on any weight there, if I were to guess they probably lose weight.. It wont be long until Diamond Vally Lake will be the star of SoCal lakes for big blues:wink: there nearing 40lbs and are putting on more then 5lbs a year

[Billy Jo]

Demeon, Arizona dosen't need any pay lakes. The only reason Calif. has them is there are so many people who like to fish that they will pay any amount to fish.
Man you live in one of the best fishing ares that AZ/CA has. Maybe what you need to do is look for new areas along the river to fish. Take a drive some day and look around. Would be cherper than going to a paylake. Check out west coast catmasters a lot of good Info, and they are getting 30 and 40 pound fish in the canels and back waters. So you don't need a boat to get big fish. Good luck,Billy Jo

[daystarchis]

It wont be long until Diamond Vally Lake will be the star of SoCal lakes for big blues:wink: there nearing 40lbs and are putting on more then 5lbs a year

Where is Diamond Vally Lake Dale?

[Flatheadhunter33]

Demeon, Arizona dosen't need any pay lakes. The only reason Calif. has them is there are so many people who like to fish that they will pay any amount to fish.
Man you live in one of the best fishing ares that AZ/CA has. Maybe what you need to do is look for new areas along the river to fish. Take a drive some day and look around. Would be cherper than going to a paylake. Check out west coast catmasters a lot of good Info, and they are getting 30 and 40 pound fish in the canels and back waters. So you don't need a boat to get big fish. Good luck,Billy Jo

Thanks Bill. I surely hope that Az does not go into the pay lake business. I meant to say that I'd like to see Az stock some areas around here. I know that One of the ponds close to me (fortuna) gets stocked but that place stays packed! Plus they mostly stock it with little trout.

Like you said though, I just need to do some more scouting around. I'll find 'em soon enough!:wink:

[gilmafam]

Where is Diamond Vally Lake Dale?

Robb... Just flew over it comming back from Laughlin this afternoon.... its by Hemet Ca, south of Lake Perris and but north of lake Skinner.... Should have seen all the neat looking water comming back from the Colorado River.....

Bayrunner Ray