San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

I got to the lake at sunrise, beautiful morning..a little chilly! The lake level has pretty much stabilized...not much left to suck out of it! At this current level, there's alot less rockpiles in the water and pretty much everyone knows where they're at! The fish are a little more spread out, but the majority are still keying on the rock areas. There's a couple of different patterns going on, but I mostly stuck to throwing a small crawbait. The crankbait bite is starting to get going with the shad spawn happening this month. I ended up with 20 fish, most a pound and a half to three pounds. I had a couple fish sawed off in the rocks, but I'll never know how big they were....surprised I didn't get any bigger fish! No Vinny on the lake today, so it was very peaceful..except for the big frustrated bull on the hillside! We need to find him a girlfriend.....the bull, not Vinny......!

With the cost of gas now, I can do plenty of talking down here at Murray or the SD River....ha ha
Nice job up there. It is so strange to see the lake so low and so many of the rocks and rock piles way up on dry land. Glad you were able to still navigate throughout the pond and nail lots of bass. Thanks for sharing and I nicknamed that Bull "Scotty." Tight lines always.

I wanted to get out there today, didn't happen. Sounds like you had a great time.
Last week I seen a few of the bulls scrimaging to the right of the launch for around 20mins, they were kicking up alot of sand and bull dozing the sticks. Seen a few of the horses dancing with each other as well. Such an awesome place imo

VinnyBass wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 11:07 am With the cost of gas now, I can do plenty of talking down here at Murray or the SD River....ha ha
Nice job up there. It is so strange to see the lake so low and so many of the rocks and rock piles way up on dry land. Glad you were able to still navigate throughout the pond and nail lots of bass. Thanks for sharing and I nicknamed that Bull "Scotty." Tight lines always.

I'm honored to have him named after me...I do see many similarities! I'll pay your gas money next time you wander up this way....I know you've spent most of your money on crepes at Dennys!

Dramad1 wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 8:38 pm I wanted to get out there today, didn't happen. Sounds like you had a great time.
Last week I seen a few of the bulls scrimaging to the right of the launch for around 20mins, they were kicking up alot of sand and bull dozing the sticks. Seen a few of the horses dancing with each other as well. Such an awesome place imo

Hurry while there's still some water in the lake! The horses were all grazing in the Santa Isabel arm today, fresh grass...where the lake used to be...sad!

What is lake/pond DK? hahah

Hellavate wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2026 5:54 pm What is lake/pond DK? hahah

The D stands for Donald and the K stands for Kiefer. Father and son actors and since they have the same last name, Sutherland, it was just a way to briefly not say the word Sutherland and keep the lake low-key a few years ago when bass were biting like crazy. So some of the locals still say lake D and K.
Long story short, the name of the lake is Sutherland, but the water level is so low it’s more of a large pond ha ha.

VinnyBass wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2026 6:30 pm

Hellavate wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2026 5:54 pm What is lake/pond DK? hahah

The D stands for Donald and the K stands for Kiefer. Father and son actors and since they have the same last name, Sutherland, it was just a way to briefly not say the word Sutherland and keep the lake low-key a few years ago when bass were biting like crazy. So some of the locals still say lake D and K.
Long story short, the name of the lake is Sutherland, but the water level is so low it’s more of a large pond ha ha.

Pond Sutherland. Yet another casualty of the city

Nice report... Thanks for the details..

What is the water visibility?

Dfishin wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 7:41 am What is the water visibility?

Pretty murky unless you are in a couple feet of water and see a rock.

Want to make sure do you float tubers pay a launch fee?

Dfishin wrote: Thu Apr 30, 2026 5:08 pm Want to make sure do you float tubers pay a launch fee?

Just pay for a permit...no launch fees for float tubes. There is a launch fee for kayaks, just to keep the riff-raff like Vinny off of our lake........lol lol lol!

Well, time to out myself as unintelligent (or ignorant if you want to be kind). But I never payed attention to the float tube vs kayak vs boat distinction when it came to lake fees. I’ve got a float tube with a trolling motor, do I have to pay any launch fee if it isn’t specifically mentioned at a reservoir? I’ve been dumb, and have just paid the private vessel launch fee at Cap the three times I’ve been out there…

Osidecoffee wrote: Fri May 01, 2026 1:49 pm Well, time to out myself as unintelligent (or ignorant if you want to be kind). But I never payed attention to the float tube vs kayak vs boat distinction when it came to lake fees. I’ve got a float tube with a trolling motor, do I have to pay any launch fee if it isn’t specifically mentioned at a reservoir? I’ve been dumb, and have just paid the private vessel launch fee at Cap the three times I’ve been out there…

As far as I know, you can pile anything you want on a tube and not pay for a launch...that's why Vinny is hating on us tubers...lol

Mcfish wrote: Sat May 02, 2026 8:46 am

Osidecoffee wrote: Fri May 01, 2026 1:49 pm Well, time to out myself as unintelligent (or ignorant if you want to be kind). But I never payed attention to the float tube vs kayak vs boat distinction when it came to lake fees. I’ve got a float tube with a trolling motor, do I have to pay any launch fee if it isn’t specifically mentioned at a reservoir? I’ve been dumb, and have just paid the private vessel launch fee at Cap the three times I’ve been out there…

As far as I know, you can pile anything you want on a tube and not pay for a launch...that's why Vinny is hating on us tubers...lol

Just the other year at the City lakes, it was $4 for a senior permit and $2 to launch a kayak....now it is $7 for a senior permit
and $7 to launch my kayak. From $6 to $14 was not a little increase. Of course I made a lot of extra money when @Mcfish each year bets the Padres will win the World Series, so I am fine paying more on his dime.....ha ha

VinnyBass wrote: Sat May 02, 2026 11:24 am

Mcfish wrote: Sat May 02, 2026 8:46 am

Osidecoffee wrote: Fri May 01, 2026 1:49 pm Well, time to out myself as unintelligent (or ignorant if you want to be kind). But I never payed attention to the float tube vs kayak vs boat distinction when it came to lake fees. I’ve got a float tube with a trolling motor, do I have to pay any launch fee if it isn’t specifically mentioned at a reservoir? I’ve been dumb, and have just paid the private vessel launch fee at Cap the three times I’ve been out there…

As far as I know, you can pile anything you want on a tube and not pay for a launch...that's why Vinny is hating on us tubers...lol

Just the other year at the City lakes, it was $4 for a senior permit and $2 to launch a kayak....now it is $7 for a senior permit
and $7 to launch my kayak. From $6 to $14 was not a little increase. Of course I made a lot of extra money when @Mcfish each year bets the Padres will win the World Series, so I am fine paying more on his dime.....ha ha

I've been going to Padre games since they were a minor league team in the Pacific Coast League..and played at Westgate Park where Fashion Valley now sits! I'm sure I will die a Padre fan, without a World Series title...not happening this year with no starting pitching really, Merrill, Cronenworth, and Manny not really hitting, and middle relievers gagging big time!
Will be a below .500 team by the end of May! Sad!