San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Hey guys, one of the lakes I never hear about here is lake Poway. Does anybody ever fish it? Is it any good? How's the bass fishing?

I've never actually been there but inquiring minds want to know.

No float tubes allowed Dan

kirkboat wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2024 6:42 am No float tubes allowed Dan

You beat me to the punch.

One of the clearest lakes in the county, looks like an aquarium. Gotta wear cammo so the fish can’t see you

The best lure to throw there is this one…

They used to allow float tubes. Of course this was way back when the lake used to have threadfin shad and yes Mike Long was the premiere lake record champion

I don’t think it’s that easy, there would be a long line if it were.
If snagging 18lbers were easy wouldn’t there be a crowd.
Come on, why turn on your partner. Then close your forum and hide.
It’s gives people something to talk about, because there not catching big fish.
I haven’t seen a 15lber here yet, on this forum.
Go see how easy it is to snag 20lbers. It ain’t happen.
First it was he’s using trout for bait..

Just stating facts.

When the spawn is on, there is plenty of opportunities to snag big fish in clear waters like Jennings for example. I believe most people just don’t do it for ethical reasons… plus people don’t have much to gain ($$$) by doing it and if they are endorsed, they have so much to loose by getting caught. Maybe at the time, more people were getting away with it but when Long went down, I think everyone (who is known) is under a microscope if they are sticking big fish. Plus, where can you go these days where you’re not on camera? Long obviously had a system down and he got good at it. I know people who knew him personally and said he really knew how to fish and were shocked he went down that road. Money and fame will ruin people.

kirkboat wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2024 6:42 am No float tubes allowed Dan

Well that sucks!

I went to Lake Poway 3 times with a friend that had caught 2 fish in the teens throwing big glidebaits before the covid thing. I never caught one but what I saw was unbelievable. The water was crystal clear and from the vantage point of the higher meandering trail you could see the beds with more huge bass than I have ever witnessed in one small lake. I also saw trout coming completely out of the water that were being chased down by huge bass. Im not sure if they still stock trout but i had first hand experience of why they get so big there. It was totally astonishing. When I went there was a couple of trails that went 3/4 of the way around the lake and a rental boat dock but it had come loose and they wouldn't let anyone on it so i dont know if they now have rental boats available. If you like to stand on shore and throw big trout patterned Glidebaits (which they sell at their store) 100 200 bucks this is where you should go. If its the same as it was before Covid.

camobass wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2024 4:49 pm The best lure to throw there is this one…
IMG_6149.jpeg

The old M.L. Special...

Stringbean wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2024 6:37 pm I don’t think it’s that easy, there would be a long line if it were.
If snagging 18lbers were easy wouldn’t there be a crowd.
Come on, why turn on your partner. Then close your forum and hide.
It’s gives people something to talk about, because there not catching big fish.
I haven’t seen a 15lber here yet, on this forum.
Go see how easy it is to snag 20lbers. It ain’t happen.
First it was he’s using trout for bait..

Just stating facts.

Best response I have heard on the topic in a while. If it was easy more people would absolutely have done it. Our lakes are not packed full of 15+ pounders and that man consistently was throwing down pictures of them.

Stringbean wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2024 6:37 pm I don’t think it’s that easy, there would be a long line if it were.
If snagging 18lbers were easy wouldn’t there be a crowd.
Come on, why turn on your partner. Then close your forum and hide.
It’s gives people something to talk about, because there not catching big fish.
I haven’t seen a 15lber here yet, on this forum.
Go see how easy it is to snag 20lbers. It ain’t happen.
First it was he’s using trout for bait..

Just stating facts.

It is pretty easy but not worth ruining your life over snagging fish and passing them off as a way to profit or gain attention from it. Long did it for a long time and look where that got him.

There was no truth behind where those fish would come from either, he was a scam artist but I know a lot did from Poway & Dixon lake during spawning season and would be carried on to other lakes and passed on like they came from there. Has he actually caught big fish the right way using live bait? Sure, can't everybody?

The avid bass fisherman should know that any clear water lakes that are fished primarily for bass who stock trout are going to have big bass in them and the best time to "catch" them is when they're in the most vulnerable state, spawning. I can personally say when I was a kid I snuck into restricted areas and spotted, 14-20+ lb bass spawning at Dixon and Poway so I can absolutely confirm there are big bass and will continue to be until it dries up. It does require a lot of time to find them which is why a lot more people can't afford to do it but it is absolutely possible to snag them if that's your choice.

I don't know about you but a lot of bass fishermen are tight lipped when it comes to reporting a good bite and if a teen bass was caught, usually there is a lot of heresy about it first. I can attest to this, I have caught many double digit bass throughout the years and have rarely rarely reported it but have the pictures to prove it.

Don’t forget, Long was a salesman too. He had special privileges at many lakes. He fished Jennings on days the lake was closed. He had access to the gate, launch-the whole lake to himself. That lake is an aquarium. If anyone has spent anytime there, you’ve seen monsters swimming around in that lake. One time I snagged something at that lake (no pun) it came up and was a cage. I’ve heard of that happening at other lakes too. Where guys would put big fish in them to bring them to the dock on an open day or in tournaments for example. Kevin Mattson was on to Mike long way before a lot of others.
Long fooled a lot of people and stole a lot of money. There’s no way around it.

Lake Poway is an awesome place that can be like the claw toy machines at the arcade. You'll spend hours or days trying for that one toy with little to no success. That being said it was an amazing place to catch DD bass back in the day. My first 8 and 10 pound fish were caught there in one day with 14 others over 3 pounds (all not on beds). But the bed fishing there is legendary. I have gotten a 14lb 12oz and 13lb 1oz there that way. I think in the modern times the fish have been genetically bread to avoid artificial baits. There was a 14+ caught during the spawn this year though and a 13+ deeper just before that. That is the lake I learned to bass fish on and still holds a great place in my heart.

Guy was/is a fucccing tool; and a half. I’m sure he could have done something if he wasn’t a punk. Not like Kellen went into protective custody . The two of you sound just as douchey as Long is. How many other people had the keys to lakes fishing them on off days and hours? The sooner you admit he’s a punk POS the sooner you’ll stop sounding like his buddies

There is an actual documented POS scale they use. It starts with the biggest spineless cockroaches, you know, child molesters and rapusts. Then, nipping on their heels, are phone and internet scammers and Mike Long!! That’s just the gutter end of the spectrum