San Vicente lake reopens.

[WRB]

The good news is the long awaited reopening of lake San Vicente in San Diego county is scheduled for 22 Sept 2016.

The bad news is all the 1st week permits sold out in 5 minutes on 25 Aug.

Tom

[Ktho]

I'm gonna try this Thursday to get some. I don't know if it'll be worth the craziness of San V or if it's just better to hit DVL or El Cap and be alone.

[WRB]

San V being closed for 8 years is like fishing a virgin lake, it happens rarely. Doubt if the trout stocking continued during the closer so the giant bass population may be in trouble like Casitas, should excellent bass fishing for 6 to 12 lbers.

Tom

[Ktho]

I was figuring more like 2-5lbers. Dixon and Wohlford are my favorite big bass lakes. Pretty excited to hear how they do opening week.

[BassObsessed]

I'm hoping to fish it in about a month when I head west. There are big bass in there from my sources. Time will tell.

[Super Dave Osborne]

I'm so stoked!! I have tickets for Oct. 8th. I am also obsessed with this lake opening I grew up in Ramona right near the lake and ripping huge bass out of this lake is one of the most exciting things I can think of. Should be epic.

[BassObsessed]

Good deal. I have tickets for 2 days while out there on vacation. Can't wait to see how it produces.

[Darren.]

California, here I come!!

...

What honey? I can't go?

Ok, California, you're on my bucket list
along with Florida.  One of these years
I will come down. Oh, and Mexico bass,
too.  

[Super Dave Osborne]

15 hours ago, Super Dave Osborne said:

I'm so stoked!! I have tickets for Oct. 8th. I am also obsessed with this lake opening I grew up in Ramona right near the lake and ripping huge bass out of this lake is one of the most exciting things I can think of. Should be epic.

You guys are going to be so glad you came to San Van! The Bass are beautiful and the lake is huge now. Shoot me a message when you guys are in the area and I will buy you a "SODA".

[soflabasser]

Won't be surprised if somebody catches a +20 pound bass out of this lake.

[blckshirt98]

Lots of reports on the sdfish.com forums but it's been a numbers game (30-50 bass per boat) and not a size game (3-4 lbs being common, larger ones going 5-6 lbs).  They did a survey of fish via shocking and didn't report seeing any DD fish in the thousands that were surveyed, but the norm was 3-5 pound class bass.

[WRB]

Giant bass that grew up eating planted trout can't seem to make a change to eating Threadfin shad and starve, that is what happened at Casitas. Bass in the 5 to 7 lb range should be available at San V, now with a few 8 to 9 lbs. If they start stocking trout and more crawdads the lake will recover and produce giants agian.

Tom

[WRB]

The reports are a pheonimal opening bite on nearly everything with average bass going 4 lbs, very few under 2 lbs and few 7 to 8lb bass is the mix.

Tom

[BassObsessed]

I'll find out in about 4 days how the bite is. I had high expectations prior to the opening but after hearing alot of  results of smaller fish I'm not as hyped to go there. Gotta be some teeners lurking in there.

[WRB]

12 hours ago, BassObsessed said:

I'll find out in about 4 days how the bite is. I had high expectations prior to the opening but after hearing alot of  results of smaller fish I'm not as hyped to go there. Gotta be some teeners lurking in there.

Don't think a teener is in the mix at San V. Try a 8" baby bass swimbait, doesn't seem to be many juvenile bass as they might be a food source for the larger bass. The experience should good with 25 lb 5 fish limit weight being common.

Good luck, the weather should be good. If you can get back on Sherwwod you will have a better shot at a teener.

Tom

[jr231]

I wish I could fish where a 6-12lb bass would just be ehhh

[BassObsessed]

9 hours ago, WRB said:

Don't think a teener is in the mix at San V. Try a 8" baby bass swimbait, doesn't seem to be many juvenile bass as they might be a food source for the larger bass. The experience should good with 25 lb 5 fish limit weight being common.

Good luck, the weather should be good. If you can get back on Sherwwod you will have a better shot at a teener.

Tom

I would have fished Sherwood on a boat Friday but my friend had an emergency come up. Fished Westlake from shore and got teased by 6-10lb bass for two days. Caught a 4 and a 5 eventually along with some 1lbers. A teener was caught at Sherwood in June.

[blckshirt98]

Someone took some underwater footage of San Vicente -

http://sdfish.com/freshwater/san-vicente-underwater-video/

That size of that school in that last shot...hoooooly cow.

[BassObsessed]

Nice video. Loads of bass in that one shot, they just need to fatten up. Couple more days till I hunt them down.

[JG233]

Any recommended guides for the lake? 

I'm going to be in SD for a weekend in a month or two. I was hoping to get some fishing in too. 

[Ktho]

3 hours ago, JG233 said:

Any recommended guides for the lake? 

I'm going to be in SD for a weekend in a month or two. I was hoping to get some fishing in too. 

You're gonna have to find a guide that has tickets. Tickets are only sold via Ticketmaster for the first while, kind of a bummer as far as guiding goes. Art Hill, Todd Kline, and Tom Lowery are all great guides.

[BassObsessed]

If you're lucky by then you won't need a ticket to get in. I'll let ya know how my guide for tomorrow went.

[JG233]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it!

[Fisher-O-men]

Guys are reporting an average of 4 pounders, but they are closer to 3's.  Lots of skinny fish.  I have been twice and have caught 30, the largest being 3.7lbs.  Most of the fish are in 30+ feet of water.  For you guys who have only skinny lakes, that may sound weird but San V is now 90' deeper than it was in 2008.  Save your money, the way the fishing has been leveling out, it will be just another lake soon.

[BassObsessed]

Fished the big San V yesterday and had to work to find and catch them. Caught them anywhere from 20-50ft. I threw frogs, swimbaits, dropshot and dragged a brush hog along the bottom. Lost alot of lures ,hardware and fish in the bushes. Most were caught on the dropshot and they ranged from 1lb up to 5. Had to fizz one of the smaller ones caught in 50ft. Ended up with around 20 and was hoping for a big lurker to hit. Saw a few coyotes roaming around.