San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Hello!

In a couple of weeks, my nephew (14yo) will be staying with me and my wife. I'm planning some activities with him during his visit and thought about taking him fishing. I've been to Lake Murray before, but I'm not sure how to get started. I do have my California license and have been looking online for gear to get for trout. According to Lake Murray's info, that's one of the predominant species in the lake.

One of the questions that I have is if my nephew also requires a permit and if I need to register there to get started, or can I just get to the lake and pick a spot? I appreciate any tips!

I wouldn't target trout. They don't stock very many anymore and they only do during the colder months. Trout don't do well in our local lakes during the summer.

I'd get some bobbers and nightcrawlers or meal worms and target panfish or bass. There's a brush pile off the fishing dock that may give up some bites. Honestly I'm not a pan fisherman so hopefully someone else can chime in and give you some tips.

Good luck!

Go hit cuyamaca if you wanna try for trout. The rangers up there will get you all dialed in on what to use and where to fish. They have a full stocked tackle shop with everything you need

Best fish a bass rig off the docks or rent a boat and make a day of it exploring, if you can huck it, senko or any plastic dropshot will turn up some hits off the shore.

I love throwing the countdown CD1s (ultralight) and CD5s from Rapala early in the morning and just covering ground with it, it's a rare skunk late May. I park at Lake Murray Park behind the baseball fields and walk down those legs of the lake.

If you are looking for trout, I agree with Camobass on probably hitting Lake Cuyamaca. It is not the time as far as rest of the lakes go right now as it is the warm season. Most trout fisheries(lakes) are better in the winter months. Lake Poway and Lake Jennings offer pretty darn good trout fishing during those months. For now, if you hit Murray your best bet is to get some nightcrawlers for bait and fishing off the lake pier for starters. If you want to try some artificial baits and I would suggest getting some senkos and tossing them in the lake for a good chance of catching a bass. Or setting up a drop shot rig with a roboworm for even a better chance of catching a bass. If you go to YouTube on your computer or phone and search for how to rig these baits, you can find lots of videos to help you.
Anyway, hope all the suggestions on this post can help you.
Tight lines

Forget about trout fishing unless you take him to Cuyamaca. Even that is pretty mediocre in the spring and summer since they mostly stock super small amounts. Still a wonderful place to take a scenic drive, enjoy some cool crisp weather and dunk a line when it gets too hot. Just don't expect the trout to be very cooperative.

My suggestions would be:
1. Buy a ticket here in the Barrett ticket trader forum to take him bass fishing
2. Rent a skiff at Seaforth in Coronado to take him spotted bay bass fishing. And bring dead bait for a chance to hook into a nice ray or shark
3. Dixon (and probably other lakes) stock catfish during the summer and that tends to provide pretty easy and fun fishing
4. A can of corn for some carp fishing will give you a great time at a lot of our lakes. Dixon, Santee, El Capitan, Wohlford, Hodges.

As a guy that has caught many thousands of bass, targeting them from shore at the vast majority of lakes in San Diego is closer to a form of torture to me than it is fishing. For an inexperienced angler that will likely catch nothing I think it's just going to be a disheartening waste of time and a waste of your money. I'd also avoid panfishing. Just don't see a 14 year old feeling engaged by catching some 7 inch and smaller fish.