Me and a friend of mine went to mission viejo today and couldn't find any bass. Usually there is a lot of activity in the shallow water around the whole lake, whether its small bass or bluegill or sunfish or whatever but you can usually always see some sort of activity in the shallow water. We didn't see anything this time nor did we meter too many fish in deeper water. We didn't really get a chance to look any deeper than 30 ft. but most of the lake is under 30 ft. The only activity around was all the trout busting the surface right near the launch ramp with a few big bass cruising as well and we saw a monster catfish there also, but as most of you know they don't allow us to fish in the marina.

So has anyone been there lately that wants to give us some advice on where to find some of these bass? Are all these fish really just in the marina area or in the small amount of water deeper than 30 ft. and what happened to all the bluegill and small fish?

Thanks

The water is cold and usualy during the day the fish tend to go a little deeper. I'm not going to give up my spots but try finding some deeper structure and s-l-o-w down your presentation and down size your baits a hair. This should produce some fish and try using different colors than what you would normally use. Hope this helps

Magmaster, when are we gonna hit it? Let's throw on the raingear for Saturday, could be good with the low moving in??

Bozzo, once you go past Tortilla Flats, you'll find plenty of deep water- and some shallow stuff with the deep stuff real close, good place to start looking-

Thanks guys, we are just about to head out again today to give it another try. I'll let you know how it went. Thanks again for the responses. Good luck on sat. if you go. I heard its supposed to be really wet.

Yeah, My partner and I were out there yesterday and it was indeed tough times for the bass fishing..
We only fished for about an hour and a half and managed to scrape up one fish..
I know it will be turning on real soon after all these storms roll thru..

GL next time..

Fished it today with Bozzo21 and managed to scrape up a few. Began the morning combing the Tortilla flats area to no avail, just kept moving deeper.

Got our first fish swimming the dropshot rig along the weedline (about 38'), Lake Police 3" crosstail shad, purple. Its mouth was all torn up like it was munching an crawdads. I made myself switch to a jig because I was looking for better fish; I was convinced I could get a five...nope.

Went to the back cove (same side as launch ramp, and bookending the dam) and saw some life up shallow, mostly cruisers. So we decided to move to the other side of the lake where we generally do better on a shallow bite.

Because, based on our limited knowledge, we assumed the fish were keying on craws, we changed up our dropshot setups. Shortened the tag ends and pinned on a couple of those tiny little Mad Man craw tubes.

Dropshotted the deepest docks we could find, two casts, two fish, too bad we farmed em. A three and maybe a four, both quality fish.

Went back to the cross tail shad, dragged along the weedline, one more fish. Maybe a two pound bow. Once we started catching exotics we decided we had had enough.

Went back to the Marina, where the trout fishermen had basically blocked the entrance. Pretty funny actually...some family rented a pontoon boat but clearly had never been to the lake before. Because the trout guys were blocking the entrance (and exit) the guys in the pontoon boat just hung a right a cruised over the buoy line in the do not enter area. Of course the prop got caught on the line and they pulled the whole string around 20 yards. The guys on shore were screaming a waiving their arms trying to get the people to turn around but the people on the boat thought they were just saying "bon voyage" and so they just waived right back with stupid grins on their faces, probably thinking how friendly the people were at this new lake. Maybe you had to be there, but I was rolling.

Anyway, gonna try to night fish on Sat. though the teeth of the storm. Slammers, big worms? Who wants to give up the dope on the night bite (or any more info on the day bite for that matter)?

We are fishing from a green Skeeter if anyone would like to come by a say hello. I really appreciate all of the responses thus far, I know it is a small lake and that good spots are especially coveted. Happy New Year to all.

--John

definetly throw the Slammer, if it's ugly you might do better with a sub surface bait like the 9" Osprey or 3:16 Sidewinder- big worms work pretty good at LMV, the 10" black Powerworm has been a good producer at LMV forever. I like to Texas rig it on the smallest weight possible for the depth you're fishing- might be messy out there Saturday night, but probably a good shot at a big girl letting down her guard a bit- Good luck!

Gotta love the pontoon boat spilling the glass of wine while charging through the buoy line! I love when they make their evening lake cruise, anyone fishing bass is considered a pylon to turn as close to as possible to make the next cove, yippee!! At least it's all electric motors, and harmless, especially when there is a MILF on board- :9

I don't think I'll be out there with Magmaster, as he'll be chasing those little BFT in NC- sissy!!!

Ive been out 3 times in the last week, bites are few and far between but ive been going for broke with Jigs, Swimbaits (Castaic), and 7 inch lizards. Ive found good fish in 50ft. not wide open at all, but there are some feeders!! I got a nice Blue Cat today on a swimbait (shocked the hell out of me!) The way i see it, if the 1-2 lb fish are going to be as tough to catch as the fatties, why not just fish for fatties??
Good luck,
Shawn

All you turkey's fishing your private lake, bah. Come and fish the tough lakes with the general public. I'm just jealous of course :P

Trev-

shoots, I'd listen to Shawn- he seems to have a good handle on LMV-
more then a few double digits there!

Didn't make it today (Sat). But will be there on Tuesday between 8 and 9; I have a new dropshot rod that I need to put through its paces, gonna throw the jig a bunch too. I want to tie up some jigs, you fellas have any suggestions? I am guessing brown on brown, Superpork trailer maybe? We flipped some rocks trying to find crawdads to match our jigs but had no luck. I think I need to get some grass jig heads too; the football heads work great at San V, but are killing me in the grass.

Green Skeeter as usual. Maybe we'll see sopme of you guys out there.

--John

even this time of year the grass will kill a football! Go as light as possible so you can pop that jig out of the top of the grass, darterhead style might work- good luck Tuesday, hope you have better luck then me figuring them out!! T-rig or dropshot along the edge of the weeds, usually 28-33' depending, always works for some smaller units- then your buddy's girfriend goes and gets a 9.6 dragging a worm behind the boat while talking to her friend about the fricking nail salon, go figure!! I should have taken up bowling instead of fishing....

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