San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Ventured more than a few miles from my house to the lake of Donald and Kiefer this morning. Greeted of course by @Mcfish
and then later met up with @Fisheromen. Headed over to an area which I quickly labeled "McFish Point" since he does seem to fish there often. Brought my lighter kayak(roughing it with no frills and no electronics) this morning. I felt bad for a few seconds when I reached "McFish Point" just ahead of McFish and within a couple casts I landed a 4.50lb bass. McFish arrived hin his tube seconds later and quickly landed a healthy bass just over 4lbs. Great start, but the bass after that were playing hard to get. The fish were there as I watched McFish miss 5 straight bass. Then the morning started to get better as I mixed it up with creature, craw and plastic worms after no takers on an underspin and crank bait. At this lake you are going to lose bass at times as they fight like crazy and find ways to come unbuttoned. So I missed some opportunites this morning, but what really keeps playing back in my head is I lost 3 bass that broke my 20lb. braid in the rocks.( I may bring rope next time...ha ha)
Anyway, still had a lot of fun and managed to land 13 bass this morning on a variety of plastics.
Only a few tiny bass were breaking the surface where we were, but @Fisheromen had some nice topwater action in a different area which must have been really fun. Always fun to see SDFish folks on the water.

Wish I caught her during the spawn Don't want to bore you with lots of clone pics,
but you get the picture.

I did not miss 5 straight bass...I was practicing early catch and release...I'm not used to fishing fat baits like you, I'm going back to my finesse baits!

Mcfish wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 5:34 pm I did not miss 5 straight bass...I was practicing early catch and release...I'm not used to fishing fat baits like you, I'm going back to my finesse baits!

Ha ha…You didn’t seem too happy with your early catching release method. Those fat baits seemed to be working well.

That fish is all head. She could use a couple of Filet O Fish Sandwiches and maybe a cheeseburger.
Sure looks like great conditions!

KillinTime wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 5:42 pm That fish is all head. She could use a couple of Filet O Fish Sandwiches and maybe a cheeseburger.
Sure looks like great conditions!

He intentionally catches anorexic fish...thinks he's doing them a favor!

Mcfish wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 6:06 pm

KillinTime wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 5:42 pm That fish is all head. She could use a couple of Filet O Fish Sandwiches and maybe a cheeseburger.
Sure looks like great conditions!

He intentionally catches anorexic fish...thinks he's doing them a favor!

I think I do the same thing, but only when I gut hook them....

KillinTime wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 5:42 pm Sure looks like great conditions!

Absolutely gorgeous fishing morning. Overcast skies and gentle breezes. Splash a Gunfish within 3 or 4 feet of a breaking fish and that fish was on!

VinnyBass wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 4:12 pm So I missed some opportunites this morning, but what really keeps playing back in my head is I lost 3 bass that broke my 20lb. braid in the rocks.( I may bring rope next time...ha ha)

Pshaw. It's a proven fact that rocks like braid way better than bass do.

TaBASSco wrote: Sat Jun 07, 2025 4:43 am

VinnyBass wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 4:12 pm So I missed some opportunites this morning, but what really keeps playing back in my head is I lost 3 bass that broke my 20lb. braid in the rocks.( I may bring rope next time...ha ha)

Pshaw. It's a proven fact that rocks like braid way better than bass do.

You got that right as one time it broke so quick, it was like I was using thread for line...ha ha

VinnyBass wrote: Sat Jun 07, 2025 8:00 pm

TaBASSco wrote: Sat Jun 07, 2025 4:43 am

VinnyBass wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 4:12 pm So I missed some opportunites this morning, but what really keeps playing back in my head is I lost 3 bass that broke my 20lb. braid in the rocks.( I may bring rope next time...ha ha)

Pshaw. It's a proven fact that rocks like braid way better than bass do.

You got that right as one time it broke so quick, it was like I was using thread for line...ha ha

Quagga mussels?

KillinTime wrote: Mon Jun 09, 2025 4:09 pm

VinnyBass wrote: Sat Jun 07, 2025 8:00 pm

TaBASSco wrote: Sat Jun 07, 2025 4:43 am

VinnyBass wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 4:12 pm So I missed some opportunites this morning, but what really keeps playing back in my head is I lost 3 bass that broke my 20lb. braid in the rocks.( I may bring rope next time...ha ha)

Pshaw. It's a proven fact that rocks like braid way better than bass do.

You got that right as one time it broke so quick, it was like I was using thread for line...ha ha

Quagga mussels?

I honestly have not seen any even when the water was low. Maybe a possibility, but there are lots of rocks where I broke off.

Braid vs rock > rock usually comes out victorious. Especially on a fish that has shoulders.

VinnyBass wrote: Sat Jun 07, 2025 8:00 pm

TaBASSco wrote: Sat Jun 07, 2025 4:43 am

VinnyBass wrote: Fri Jun 06, 2025 4:12 pm So I missed some opportunites this morning, but what really keeps playing back in my head is I lost 3 bass that broke my 20lb. braid in the rocks.( I may bring rope next time...ha ha)

Pshaw. It's a proven fact that rocks like braid way better than bass do.

You got that right as one time it broke so quick, it was like I was using thread for line...ha ha

The only lake in SD I’ve lost lures easier than Sutherland is Wohlford. Both are tackle graveyards.

JWall wrote: Mon Jun 09, 2025 8:33 pm

The only lake in SD I’ve lost lures easier than Sutherland is Wohlford. Both are tackle graveyards.

I dunno. I think I have lost more lures in Hodges than any other lake.

I’m with TaBASSco, I’m sure I’ve lost way more lures at Hodges than any other lake, especially before braid I used mono only.