San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

JWall wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2024 12:27 pm Why worry? Just crimp em down. Will save a fish on a gut hook and you on a skin poke.

I think this is the first time anyone has asked this question regarding Barrett.

"If im trying to rob a bank, how can i tell if the cops are around?"

"Uh, how about not rob a bank?"

If anyone in the general public gets permission to fish Olivenhain, I will give up beer and vodka. Ain’t gonna happen in my lifetime.


That sounds like a few spots around here too, especially the infamous Lake Mathews.

There are a few places north of that where you will get popped for ...

Haha, how about not robbing a bank?

Just crimp your barbs, have a license, and don't have fish in your bucket.

Pretty simple. Then u don't have to worry about what the rangers look like, eh? Ridiculous.

They all have been more than friendly.

Now, perhaps people may agree to disagree, but personally, sending TWO wardens to check on people fishing at Barrett is not very productive. I don't think individuals who paid over $100 to fish Barrett are the type to be breaking rules. It's like rolling up to an Amish community checking for ...

Grumpyspottie wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 3:33 pm Gonna check out Barrett for the first time tomorrow. What rigs should I bring? Thank you.

A good thing to do is peruse the reports that users spend time in creating, which usually includes the rigs that they are using to get fish to go.

Haven't heard much about that place as of late, other than the water level was up.

For what's it's worth, there was this recent report posted online:

The summer time fishing is in full swing with the trout being hot and tired. We need to adapt to the conditions in order to avoid the skunk. Slip ...

Anything that isn't big enough to eat them first.

Pyramid, Castaic....in fact, Castaic's smallie population has really exploded in the past few years. DVL has a few, but it's hard to target them. Big Bear also has a population as well as Arrowhead, if you have access to it.

I haven't had anything eat the Wakasagi. I even through it in the middle of a bunch of busters and nada. Glad to see it's successful for others! lol

I do a Wyoming/Montana/and or Idaho trip every year, and the hardest part is coming back.

I usually put away my fly rods for months after trips like these, because it definitely leaves a lot to be desired, living in a desert like we do in SoCal.

Knock 'em dead! Make them remember you all off season long.

That topwater bite is fun. I pre-fished a local SD lake with a buddy of mine on Saturday, and had something happen to us that hasn't happened ever.

We picked up one rod, at 5:30 am, and never put it down. We left the lake at 12 pm and had all the other rods we brought still in their rod socks ...

Let us know how you do! Personally, I love hearing people's first time experience at Barrett.

Last time I brought bass home, I was in my early teens, and my folks cooked them, ate them, and told me not to bring them home again.

"We don't mind the stripers tho."

I thought the same thing. I guess some people prefer subway to jersey mikes or submarina 🤷‍♂️


In my culture, there is no distinction. If you catch it, then bring it home so we can cook it. It can be any species caught in any waterway.

Today, I get looked at weird by my fam since I'm a C&R ...

YMMV, but one thing I know about Barrett is that Northerns are a schooling fish. I've NEVER fished an area and had to change bait 15 times and spend 30 minutes without getting bit, and then suddenly start getting fish.

If the fish are there, they''ll let you know.

I don't waste my time trying to ...

Nice pig! Always catching them quality fish on the jig. I've caught 2 pound fish on a Hudd, but I rarely catch a 2 pound fish on a jig. It's just a quality bite time after time.


The unintended deadstick


Had that happen to me last weekend. We had just launched and blasted to the back of a cove ...

I can hear the Benny Hill theme playing.


Trolling motor going one way, then the other way, then not realizing it was on 10, then we Spot Lock it and the Lowrance spends 5 minutes repositioning going all over the place. Breaking twigs, running into the mud, hopping over rods, leaning over trying ...

...12 lb mono. ... and it felt like a really nice bass as it headed deep in the cover and the line snapped!

Dang, that sucks!

Are you sure you didn't have a nick in the line? Did it get you into hard cover?

Usually mono is stretchier than FC which I guess technically makes it more impact ...

Mine was a Keitech Mad Wag slim in the 4.5, green pumpkin. I had discovered this bait about 2 or 3 years ago, and it has absolutely wrecked fish when other baits weren't producing.

I loved it so much, i bought all 75 or so packs from TackleWarehouse one day when they put them on sale for $1.99, and ...