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April 2023  VINCENTE LAKE FISHING REPORT AND MAP NEW MAPS: This week the water cleared really well and the bass are in the shallows and ...

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

October 2023 San Vicente Lake Fishing Map, Fishing Report, Where to Fish,. Best Areas Access


We have many more fishing maps and hunting maps at www.freehuntfishmaps.com

 

2023 San Vicente Reservoir  Fishing Map, Fishing Report with local Hunting Clubs, and private fishing


This famous San Diego lake has a history of great success, with 100 fish days not unheard of.  Lately in March the bass are extremely deep in the 40 to 60 depth range. Jigs and weighted plugs seem to be the most effective.
 In December the bass moved up to the 10 to 18 foot range while some remain deep.
 Producing fish in the spring is one thing, but what can  San Vicente Lake possibly  have
 to offer during the  transition to early summer?  Spring time you stalk the back ends of Kimball and Barona arms or the shallows of North and Grassy bays (see fishing map) as post spawners will be lingering on the edges of the spawning areas and the medium depth structure spots. Finally they will be feeding actively on with the first shad hatches in May.
   
Our fishing report concludes, when bluegill and green sunfish arrive in big numbers to spawn or forage on bass fry or eggs, it's time to change your strategy. In these clear lakes down south, fish start spawning in February, and after they have already gone through the nesting ritual, head out through the Gap, fishing rocky outcroppings or quiet pockets as you go. 

Water temperatures from  the island northward will  usually be a couple of  degrees warmer than the  lower end of the lake and  sometimes more than that. 

You can thus find active fish right at first light.  Go with a one-two combination of a Deep Little N or 3-inch Fat Free Shad in fire, tiger or perch color and work the corners of the cuts or the prominent points or bluffs. See the fishing map for more info.

At first light, you can fish less than 5 feet of depth but as the day proceeds, you should move on the Barona side. Go with  deeper diving  models that can reach  15 feet.  The situation presents itself as how high the grass has grown up. Crank baits are more enjoyable to fish and more efficient when you don‘t have to clean the goop off your bait on every other cast.

Shallow running crank baits ride over the tops of the weeds. Otherwise you have to fish much deeper, beyond where sunlight penetrates and grass grows. That probably eliminates cranks.  In April,  shad are not the key forage,  but anything small and  swimming will do.  Sometimes something big  —  hatchery trout, adult  bluegill, injured bird or  wayward terrestrial — will  be found in the shallows and  the bigger post spawners will  jump all over them.  

 A Zara Spook should be your first choice. It has a slow, slithering action.
A second choice, ideal for San Vicente’s early morning breeze, is a prop bait. A Devils Horse or  Dying Flutter are two pretty  common lures, but you  might want to try a Dalton  Special, which has only a tail  blade.  Prop baits seem to get more bites than chuggers at this time of year, but matching the surface conditions — subtle in flat water and noisier in a riffle — will get you a few good strikes. According to our fishing report, by fishing the northeast side of the lake, you also extend the top water bite as the shadows will linger close to shore. 

ADJUSTING FOR SUNLIGHT: The  May/June period will be the optimum  period for swimming baits from slugs to  topwaters to cranks because there will  be so many forage species — fry and  adults — in the upper stratum. But some  fish will always pick a safe zone roughly twice the depth you can see a lure in  the water.

Light penetration diminishes rather  dramatically, even in clear water, and the  best evidence is the imaginary line  where aquatic vegetation ceases to grow.  While in water less than 15 feet deep,    it’s easy to see the tall strands or lush  leaves, down in 25 feet, there may be  nothing more than some bits of brown  growth, unable to bloom.  Dragging a sinker from deep water to shallow will give you an indication of where the growth ends. Fishermen use the “twice the lure visibility depth” rule  as a guideline. Bass seem to recognize a  certain depth offers them a bit of security or comfort that lines them up and  gives you a range to concentrate your  presentations.

According to our fishing report, some of the “can't miss” areas at San  Vicente at this time of  year are the west side  for the Kimball chute  from the Kimball  Roadbed to within 50  yards of the sand bar.  The opposite side of the chute is also worth trying. Meter the area  and find where most of  the fish are holding,  then go right over them  with a dart head or  drop shot rig and a shad  colored plastic worm. 

It’s probably warm enough for the slalom skiers to be out in the Toll Road Arm, so you won’t be able to move  across the bay or run  on plane. Instead, go to the south side of the  arm and split shot the  bluff bank from the  point going into Aqueduct toward the  back end. This hard  bottom area doesn’t  have much growth and  even when there isn’t  much of a midday bite  elsewhere, you can  drag a few here with a  green weenie or some-  thing in smoke or  oxblood.
Before the grass grows too well in the clear water,  crank baits can be added to drop  shot worms or top water  baits for best action. 

Other Species: Channel and blue catfish, rainbow trout,  bluegill, red ear and green sunfish, crappie
Boat rentals: Reservations taken during business hours  Information


We have many maps or go to our county by county site for more specific info :

Oregon and California hunting and fishing  maps plus hunting clubs, hunting ranches, public and private fishing:

If you like our Fishing map and information on how to fish this lake, we have many more hunting and fishing maps, here is a screen shot, but if you want more info, click on this link: www.freehuntfishmaps.com

Click on a county for Hunting Clubs & Private Ranches:




www.freehuntfishmaps.com

Also, if you want very specific county by county information on fishing and hunting clubs in California and Oregon for private fishing, hunting clubs, and exclusive network of hunting ranches found nowhere else, here is a screen shot below, click on this link to go to the site:

www.ranchhuntandfish.com

hunting and fishing public lands oregon and california

www.ranchhuntandfish.com

we have many more fishing maps and hunting maps at www.freehuntfishmaps.com
California Hunting Clubs for Turkey, deer, pig, quail, fishing with Hunting Maps.