San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

They're putting Sutherland out of it's misery this Sunday, shutting it down for the winter. It's been a long strange trip out there this year! Good days were almost nonexistent. Just when you thought it was changing for the better..it wasn't! We were hoping the lake would get more water last year..be careful for what you ask for! With all the water it got, it was tough figuring out a consistent pattern! I fished the lake for the final time this year...and once again it baffled me. There were ideal conditions for the busters to go off..but nothing! I headed straight to a point that has produced some fish for me and started off throwing a popper..bingo, caught 9 fish in the next hour, with a couple nice fish mixed in. The next 6 hours, I only added 4 more fish after the popper bite died at 7:30! Just another crazy day to add to all the other ones up there this year. Let's hope next year returns to the productive lake it's always been in the past!

Great job pulling off a nice day on the lake that just never seemed to come around during this year. Those popper bass must have been
exciting to catch. In past years, I always looked forward each year to heading up there each Friday with my kayak and having pretty good
fishing results with a number of healthy bass in the mix. The lake was terribly low and then this year the water was very very high.
Hopefully things will stabilize by next year and the fishing will be better. Did save a lot of gas and wear and tear on my truck this
year.....ha ha Thanks for sharing with us @McFish. Looks like your next report will soon be from San V on a Monday.
Tight lines

Did the water level ever come down enough to use the parking lot or is it still covered?

professionull wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2023 12:29 pm Did the water level ever come down enough to use the parking lot or is it still covered?

The upper lot is now totally out of the water..lower lot completely covered by water. A big difference from 2 months ago when both lots were under water.

I think this has been the toughest year in the past 15 at Sutherland. El Nino on the way and I'm sure the lake will look completely different come March.
Great you caught some and on the Popper no less! Thanks for the report @Mcfish I went on Saturday and with the blue skies
and warmer temps it was challenging to say the least. Caught a few and headed home. Hope to see you out at San V on Mondays.

RamonaAngler wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2023 6:48 am I think this has been the toughest year in the past 15 at Sutherland. El Nino on the way and I'm sure the lake will look completely different come March.
Great you caught some and on the Popper no less! Thanks for the report @Mcfish I went on Saturday and with the blue skies
and warmer temps it was challenging to say the least. Caught a few and headed home. Hope to see you out at San V on Mondays.

Good to hear that you hadn't given up on hitting your home lake! I'm not sure that I've fished a lake that was as tough and inconsistent as Sutherland was this year! I'm sure it will come around next year..we hope!

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Good to hear that you hadn't given up on hitting your home lake! I'm not sure that I've fished a lake that was as tough and inconsistent as Sutherland was this year! I'm sure it will come around next year..we hope!
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McFish's 3 Step plan of attack for Sutherland in 2024: he already has plenty of these.....

I'll use those right before I consider hand grenades! I not sure the problem was what they wanted to eat, but rather where they went to eat it!

Next year I might try flippin’ a Tokyo rig into the stick ups at Sutherland. I don’t know why….in fact it really baffles me, that I have never tried using one there.

Can’t wait till next year!! Hopefully the water stays around the same level and the fish can settle in during the winter. Can we just fast forward 6 months?

NotBassFishingAgain wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2023 10:04 pm Can’t wait till next year!! Hopefully the water stays around the same level and the fish can settle in during the winter. Can we just fast forward 6 months?

I like the way you're thinking!