anyone here ever fished local waters like lake balboa, hansen damn,or even reseda park lake?I mean I know there not as big and productive as castaic or pyramid,but there so close you could go there a few times a week.Sometimes I'd rather go to these small waters and not deal with all the boating traffic,water-skiiers,and jet-skiiers of larger resevoirs.

I fish the smaller lakes after work about 3 days a week. I fished Legg today and Santa Fe Dam yesterday for about two hours per outing. The local lakes are in transition with the weed beds receeding rapidly.I caught 2 bass today and two yesterday with all the fish except for one at about a pound. I did get a fat 3+ today that I pulled out what was left of a weed bed. Many of the fish I've been catching lately including the two I caught today have had some awsome green colors from living in the weed mats all summer.

It's kind of like when you catch a calico that's been living in thick Kelp for a long time and they turn a greenish yellow. Anyways the local parks are a great source for the quick trip. I also fish Puddingstone but all the park fishing is pretty much a weekday thing I will ussually stick with saltwater on the weekends. The local lakes are fun once and once you understand their feeding patterns you might just be suprized at the size of some of these local park lakes can produce. Bring your camera so you'll have a lasting memory after you have released your fish. Do you guys have much luck on bass at Balboa, Hanson Dam, or any other park lakes out your way?

jerryG

Lake Balboa has bass in it, but I think that there are like only 3 in the whole lake. I saw on boil on Tipola there. The only real fishing that can be done there is Tipola...But you can catch like 50-100 a day. Two ways to fish for them on a hi lo rig or splitshot rig both with small #6 hooks baited with a chunk of nightcrawler.

Whe I fished Balboa alot I used to use a splitshot rig on 2# test with about 1/4 of a nightcrawler that I'd use one of those worm threaders to thread completely through. I'd cast out and slow retrive back. They are fun fish on light line.

Tipola are only there during the warm months so now is a good time for them.

Reseda has a few cats in it, but is completely not worth your time

Great report and replies... What is a Tipola?

It's a lot like a bluegill except a better fighter and a little meaner looking

I've been mispelling it it's actually tilapia



Balboa has the darker colored ones mostly, but I have sen dead ones floating like the red one.

http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/tilapia.jpeg

I didn't know there are tipola :) in Balboa! I usually go to the Salton Sea for those and can confirm 50-100 per day. Non stop, fun fishing! How do I get there from Valencia? Any recommended spots?

Take the 5 south to the 405 south, exit Victory and head west. make a left on Balboa. The lake is on the left (you can not see it from the road but there is a sign.)

when you get in park in the first lot. When you first come in you'll see a cove (cove like) I fish there right in front of the drain on the west shore. But I also have just walked that west shore all the way around to the waterfall (man made water fall like thing)

Be warned, the lake doesn't smell great (not bad, just not great)

They also have a fly casting area on the south shore.

Thanks for the info, I have a lot of friends who love this fish..as far as the smell is concerned, if you haven't been to the Salton Sea during summer..whew!!!...It starting to cool off now got to get there soon..by the way what are the hours and when was the last time you was there..

I go to hansen damn all the time to catfish. There is a lot of baby bass in that place but I never see anyone catch anything over ten inches. I saw a pretty nice 3 pounder swim by once. I think the problem with hansen is the fish have absolutely no place to hide so the comorants and other birds destroy the population before the little ones have a chance.

I have fished the upper hansen dam with little success.But the lowers a different story.I mean I've seen some huge fish in that lake.Bass that could go 8 pounds or more,and a carp that could've went 20pounds or more.I've also heard some stories of big cats and stripers people have pulled out of that lake.I haven't fished there in a while and when I used to fish there I wasn't as skilled as I am now.I usually caught bluegill and small bass.So has anyone fished there recently?

The comorants seem to be a problem everywhere. I see them eating bass almost everytime I'm out freshwater fishing these days. I've seen them at all the lakes I've fished recently. I may be wrong about this but the problem seems to have become worse than I remember it being in the past. They've always been a menace in salt water and are specially tough when trying to fly line live baits. I caught one last week when it ate my fluke jerk bait. My first freshwater comorant and it ate plastic. Not quit the accomplishment I was trying to make. I've had several others chasing my plastics and even had one dive on my top water. I guess that's a good indication that your lure swims real well but definitely the wrong kind.

I wish we could do something to stop these birds from eating all the bass Yeah I know a few shells and problem resolved, but the last thing we need is the Audoban Society on our backs for cruelity to an over populated bird species that is destroying our fisheries. Oh well at this point I'm just counting my blessings that fishing is still legal in this state. I'm going to stop here because I don't want this post turning in to a politician basher. All I'm saying is those birds are wrecking the fish stocks.

JerryG

JerryG, I'm with you and others see the petition on the Southern California Fishing Hot Page website...commorants are definately an issue at any local waters that contain fish. Whilst we can't really exteminate them in numbers we can used other methods...you're right this is really a hot subject and if the DFG (Department of Fish and Game) don't want to take a stand against the tree huggers we certainly can. That's why we need to unite together in groups like the United Angelers and the CSC. They can become our political voice!
Anyway Jerry, lets hook up one day soon, what do you think?:-)

your right those cormorants are a real problem.everyone here should check out that petition at fishinghotpage.com