San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Needed to try something different and headed up to Lake Miramar with my kayak this morning. It was foggy for a bit and it may be a little soon for topwater as I talked to a local who seems to be there almost every time I go there.
I did get a bass on a small jerkbait, but after a while of trying many other reaction baits, I just stuck to plastics.The bass were cooperating pretty well and one time I was reeling in my plastic worm pretty fast and it stopped suddenly and a bass decided he wanted that worm and landed him...ha ha.
I do have a crazy story as I still am thinking about it. I made a long cast with a senko in deep water and was switching baits on another rod something slammed my senko and my rod flipped over the kayak and into the water. Thank goodness my rod was floating(cork handle helped) but as I approached it a few times whatever was on the other end kept pulling it forward right when I was reading for it. I tried to net the rod as it was starting to sink a little now and when I used my net to pull it up and right when I leaned over to grab it the fish pulled and it flew back in the water. I finally netted the rod by the reel and quickly grabbed the rod and before I could loosen the drag, my 12lb fluoro snapped. I can't stop thinking
about it...hopefully it was not a double digit bass and hopefully just was a big cat. Either way I should be thankful not to lose close to $500 worth of equipment.
Anyway....I had a really great time this morning as the bass were out to play. Basically just used plastics and despite the usual missed hook sets in deep water grass, I was able to land 19 bass. I know one thing, the bass here sure put up a good fight which made the trip to Miramar well worth it.
Hey @JWall ...you told me to snap out of it.

A few pics....

This guy probably broke@Mcfish's
line the the last time he was out at Miramar....ha ha.

Wow, what a story! I guess we will all wonder what broke you off. Deadsticking the Senko. Seen it work for others, I have never tried it.
Those are some nice looking chucks.

KillinTime wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 4:46 pm Wow, what a story! I guess we will all wonder what broke you off. Deadsticking the Senko. Seen it work for others, I have never tried it.
Those are some nice looking chucks.

Something hit it on the fall or very close to the bottom as I was casting into deep water as my line never got slack.
I never ever had a rod flip out of a boat or kayak with a fish before so it was pretty shocking. I wished I filmed the rod on the
water taking off every time I got close to grab it and the water was calm and no wind. I was so lucky to be able to net my rod
the second time as the first time I never had a good grip on it. Anyway....still playing it back in my head over and over.

Reminds me of a time a Sutherland. I kicked a brand new Team Daiwa setup off the casting deck of the boat and thought it was gone. My buddy was in the backseat. I shouted I just lost my new setup! I heard a whisper from the back of the boat "No you didn't, no you didn't". It was my buddy not wanting to talk to loud or move, as the eye of my rod was barely hanging from his rod in his hand. I had to ease over to him as not to not rock the boat and he had to stay so still as we were a millimeter away from loosing it. Well I made it back there and reached out so gingerly grabbing my rod. I'm still stoked on that till this day, and it was back in the 90s.

I'm stoked for you too!

Glad you got your rod back. Good story though. I can see the rod teasing you in the water.

How was the water level
Can boats be launched?

Kenroe wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 7:27 pm How was the water level
Can boats be launched?

I talked to a guy up there and he said Thursday the water was low, but today the water level was fine. Three boats launched today and shouldn’t be a problem unless they start lowering it again which it never know when that’s gonna happen but as of today, yes you could launch.

Kenroe wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 7:27 pm How was the water level
Can boats be launched?

It's hard to rely on the water level at Miramar..you never know...

I remember two years ago I went up on a Saturday just to look at the water level and knew I could launch my kayak. Then on Monday, I drove up to the lake and the water came down a lot, but there was still about 10 feet or more before the end of the drop off of the ramp, so I launched my kayak.
Then was coming in around 1:00 and the water got even lower to where the lip of the cement ramp was exposed and I couldn’t go over it with my Kayak. I was shocked! I had to go over to the rocks and Ruben who works there came down to help me get my kayak back up over to the ramp.

That you did!! Great story too.

19 fish and a little adventure. Sounds good to me.

I’ve had a similar experience only in the bay. I had a brand new set up not real expensive like Vinnys but still brand new. First time used. I laid it down to bait another rod I looked up, my rod was in the water tried to net it, couldn’t get it, but I could see that a stingray had taken my rod right into the bay. Never got it back and I’ll never forget it.

vito1023 wrote: Tue Jun 17, 2025 5:45 am I’ve had a similar experience only in the bay. I had a brand new set up not real expensive like Vinnys but still brand new. First time used. I laid it down to bait another rod I looked up, my rod was in the water tried to net it, couldn’t get it, but I could see that a stingray had taken my rod right into the bay. Never got it back and I’ll never forget it.

WOW! That must of sure been a bummer. I could see that as the stingrays are pretty powerful.
I guess we learn things from these crazy experiences, but who knows what may be the next
one down the line to experience. I am pretty sure all of us have some pretty wild stories
when it comes to fishing.

Great job and u got your gear back a plus I’m going lol hey Vinny I built that Ada ramp at Miramar handicap access to boat dock around 2005 basically myself took almost a year so I like to go so I can see my trex ramp

robert_smith wrote: Tue Jun 17, 2025 7:55 am Great job and u got your gear back a plus I’m going lol hey Vinny I built that Ada ramp at Miramar handicap access to boat dock around 2005 basically myself took almost a year so I like to go so I can see my trex ramp

I remember they had that old wooden dock next to the boat dock for decades up there. They finally replaced that. Just want to give you props for the nice job on the ramp to boat dock. Small world eh? You probably know Ruben who works for the City Lakes.

VinnyBass wrote: Tue Jun 17, 2025 8:37 am

robert_smith wrote: Tue Jun 17, 2025 7:55 am Great job and u got your gear back a plus I’m going lol hey Vinny I built that Ada ramp at Miramar handicap access to boat dock around 2005 basically myself took almost a year so I like to go so I can see my trex ramp

I remember they had that old wooden dock next to the boat dock for decades up there. They finally replaced
that. Just want to give you props for the nice job on the ramp to boat dock.
Small world eh? You probably know Ruben who works for the City Lakes.

The guy that ran dock retired I’m sure he was older guy I was like 24 now I’m 43 I can’t remember his name for my life nice guy I wasn’t fishing at time back then was surfing everyday

Great story and "exciting" experience. Thanks for sharing. I guess I need to get over there again soon. I haven't been there since the spring.

The guy who was in charge at Miramar back in the day was named Rick , and your correct about him being way cool, Hey Vinny,I’m glad you slayed the fish and didn’t lose your rod. Losing a rod is very traumatic and expensive, it almost happened to me a few weeks ago at Murray. Right on man !! I hope you get that fish that got away someday

Thanks for the heads up on Miramar Vinny.
Went up there today and ended up with 20+ bass. Nothing big but a few good chunks mixed in. Water was way high so no problem launching.

Xman99 wrote: Tue Jun 17, 2025 2:37 pm Thanks for the heads up on Miramar Vinny.
Went up there today and ended up with 20+ bass. Nothing big but a few good chunks mixed in. Water was way high so no problem launching.

Sweet!!!
It’s a fun lake. I remember my father and me fishing it almost every weekend many many many decades ago. You used to be able to walk around the lake and there was all types of openings between the tulles to fish. The water was so clearI used to watch bass come up to my plastic worm and then I would move the plastic worm a little and the bass would get closer and then finally would pick it up. I learned a lot about bass fishing growing up fishing at Miramar. So glad you had a good time.
Tight lines and thanks for sharing