San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Lake Hodges Fishing: How Many Fish Can I Lose In One Day?


Hey all here’s a late report from last Sunday at Hodges. I said out to just enjoy having a day on the water. It ended up turning into something bizarre. I worked down the shoreline and ended up missing a couple of fish. One the hook pulled one tore the claw off my trailer. It was just a frustrating experience. But then I ended up missing another, breaking off a massive 6 to 8 pound fish, and unfortunately, that was just the beginning of the day.

I ended up staying there until closing boating, seven fish and losing double that. I got my bites on Ned rig and jigs. The biggest ended up going 4.87 pounds with a couple others bigger than that lost. I was battling a respiratory infection on that day and I know my focus was a little less than normal. That being said, I have no idea what else happened except for just bad luck. I guess that’s why it’s called fishing and not catching as the saying goes. Most of the fish were very shallow and several had marked up fins like they were bedding.

All in all I still had a fun day, but did contemplating giving up fishing at one point for knitting or crocheting. If you want to enjoy the pain of watching me lose fish after fish and maybe get a couple laughs out of it. Feel free to check out the video

Cheers!

I watched this morning. Definitely wasn’t laughing at you! On days like that, it’s just something subtle like you’re holding your mouth wrong

still looks like a good day on the water! I was looking forward to hodges but i guess they banned the paddleboards this year

If I could get out there you’d have to pry the flat side square bill and cranking stick from my cold dead hands. Only time I’d put it down would be to use the restroom

StinkyPinky23 wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:22 am I watched this morning. Definitely wasn’t laughing at you! On days like that, it’s just something subtle like you’re holding your mouth wrong

Yes! Exactly! I'm glad at least there was some entertainment value there that was appreciated. Cheers!

mcquade outdoors wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:33 am still looks like a good day on the water! I was looking forward to hodges but i guess they banned the paddleboards this year

Really? I'm pretty sure they were banned for a while but were brought back. I'll look into that.

StinkyPinky23 wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:48 am If I could get out there you’d have to pry the flat side square bill and cranking stick from my cold dead hands. Only time I’d put it down would be to use the restroom

I could not get bit on anything besides a jig and ned rig. I threw everything that day. I did talk to others who got them on cranks but no joy for me.

mcquade outdoors wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:33 am still looks like a good day on the water! I was looking forward to hodges but i guess they banned the paddleboards this year

I found the article! I hope that this helps.

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local ... 1f37d8e947

Hey...your tough day of lost fish brings back some crazy memories, but at least you did have highlights of the ones you caught.
I know it is not the same and it is impossible to figure out how did so many fish came off and why. I beat myself up when I lose
a handful or a bigger one for several days. Anyway...thanks for sharing your time on the water. Always enjoy your videos believe it or
not you had much more fun than my Wednesday where I did a bunch of errands and weed-wacked the forest of weeds in my
backyard. I know you will be on a mission the next trip to Hodges and no doubt showing those bass who they messed with and
catching them like crazy.
Tight lines buddy.

VinnyBass wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 3:03 pm Hey...your tough day of lost fish brings back some crazy memories, but at least you did have highlights of the ones you caught.
I know it is not the same and it is impossible to figure out how did so many fish came off and why. I beat myself up when I lose
a handful or a bigger one for several days. Anyway...thanks for sharing your time on the water. Always enjoy your videos believe it or
not you had much more fun than my Wednesday where I did a bunch of errands and weed-wacked the forest of weeds in my
backyard. I know you will be on a mission the next trip to Hodges and no doubt showing those bass who they messed with and
catching them like crazy.
Tight lines buddy.

Glad you enjoyed it! I will be on a mission next time for sure. And by the way I do enjoy weed whacking and yard work. Cheers!

Pourboy wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:57 pm

mcquade outdoors wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:33 am still looks like a good day on the water! I was looking forward to hodges but i guess they banned the paddleboards this year

I found the article! I hope that this helps.

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local ... 1f37d8e947

Ill have to give them a call. Paddleboards are no longer listed on Lake Hodges actual website.

No kiteboarding or stand up's
Sign inside the store!
I've been getting decent #s but no big ones!
Caught 17 yesterday and yes lost 4 or 5 and broke off a giant!
Talked to a guy last Wednesday who claimed a 13.4 and another yesterday that claimed a 10lber on Saturday
I can't find the big ones caught a few just under 5
And always think the ones I didn't see and came off were giants!!

OK a hadn't watched video yet!
Looked fun and heart breaking at the same time!
Hard for me to sleep on days like that thinking of what could've been!
I have a solution for you!
Do the beer tasting first thing in the ÀM

Some days they are Nippers, some days they are Rippers. Really though, you need to look at size, color and cadence. Working thru that can be fruitful. Obviously, you were on the fish, they were not quite ready to commit. Last week I lost 5 in a row fishing deep at San Vicente. They were good halfway up and then gone. Very frustrating. I switched from Green and Silver to Tan and Silver. Got every fish after that. Same rig. Could be that I finally learned how to land them, but I think it was the color change, they ate it.

Stingray wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 4:09 pm OK a hadn't watched video yet!
Looked fun and heart breaking at the same time!
Hard for me to sleep on days like that thinking of what could've been!
I have a solution for you!
Do the beer tasting first thing in the ÀM

Believe me after that first big loss I was ready for a beverage for sure!

How nightmarish is that ramp on the weekend? Did you notice anyone there in the afternoon?

Stingray wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 3:50 pm No kiteboarding or stand up's
Sign inside the store!
I've been getting decent #s but no big ones!
Caught 17 yesterday and yes lost 4 or 5 and broke off a giant!
Talked to a guy last Wednesday who claimed a 13.4 and another yesterday that claimed a 10lber on Saturday
I can't find the big ones caught a few just under 5
And always think the ones I didn't see and came off were giants!!

I heard the same about a 13.4. But the guy at concessions told me someone got a 13lb crappie! Definitely not real so I’d have to assume it was a carp? Who knows.

I talked to the guy he had his gopro and showed it to me and had another witness!
I could not tell how big it was on the little gopro and my eyes are not great!!