San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Fished Hodges from my kayak on Wednesday Feb 5, with my Garmin Livescope. Overall, very slow fishing for bass and crappie for everyone! The lake is much lower than last year - remember that we had tons of rain in January 2024 and none so far this year. The water is a brown soup, visibility underwater was about 6 inches or less at the surface. Water temp was 62 degrees around noon. I predict an early spawn.

I got one crappie and missed a few others that whacked my jig but I blew the hookset timing (too much watching the electronics! ). But most of the crappie targeted were just uninterested or maybe couldn't see my lure right in front of them.


16 feet deep in the middle, halfway to the dam near the Hernandez Hideaway area fishing pier

Thanks for sharing Larry. Once the best crappie lake we had. smh

blackcloud9 wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2025 2:50 pm
I got one crappie and missed a few others that whacked my jig but I blew the hookset timing (too much watching the electronics! ). But most of the crappie targeted were just uninterested or maybe couldn't see my lure right in front of them.

This is what I say “hang tight to cover” in this situation I find more aggressive techniques, dancing like crazy, crappie nibble work better than typical fitness with tube or baby shad.

You may be interested, Hodges last weekend. They seem to always manage to outfish the 'bass guys'
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 7109072849

DAMN! Thats a HOG for sure!

Thanks for sharing Larry.

How was crappie bite? Picking up at all?

Str8t Slabaronies wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 12:00 pm DAMN! Thats a HOG for sure!
Thanks for sharing Larry.
How was crappie bite? Picking up at all?

Hi Roy - That one is not a big one like yours are, just a medium and released. Its picking up tho. The rains have helped the lake level (Hodges) and the bite seemed better for me in the two weeks after the opening weekend. Also I'm getting back in practice with my jig presentation etc. I got a few crappie both days recently but not big numbers, but missed plenty! Mostly finding single fish or doubles in feeding mode, no schools... Sutherland opener had better visibility and colder water, I was able to find the schools of 6 / 8 / 10 fish every hundred yards or so out deep which was really fun. See my post in this panfish forum.