Thanks for the Santa Rosa update. That lake was a special lake. I only had the pleasure of fishing there 3 times. What a healthy place. What a drag they stopped stocking trout :(

I'm right there with you on the assessment of bad water quality. I believe San Pablo and Don Pedro suffering from the same issue. On those lakes you'll see these things on the trees at low water that look like great gobs of snot. We call them alien pustules.

When I see those things growing on trees it seems to go with bad water conditions and bad fishing. Don't know if you have seen them up there. We need rain, and badly. Even with rain I don't think some of these lakes will cycle back for many many years.

I have heard that down in So-Cal there's 100 guys on Saturdays fishing DVL with punkers from shore. Swimbait fishing isn't all dead in this state. I don't know much on Casitas being it's in quagmire mussel near lock-down. The lower lake has a special place in my heart. Wish I lived closer. That's one place that has maintained through a lot of years. There are many good fisherman on those lakes.

San Diego in spring would be great too. You hear how tough it is, but people do catch fish. Nor-cal ain't much different on the small lakes now from a toughness standpoint. I feel like I can say that because I've been to Poway, Dixon, San V, Otay, Mirimar, etc. Those are hard lakes, but the fish are there. I was astounded by the number of bass per acre in Poway and San V. The densities are way higher than up here, which creates competition, which makes even smart fish more catchable.

Lots to think about.