San Diego Camping - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

steveooo · 03-26-2008, 01:15 PM

Gonna try to go camping/fishing with the wife this weekend. Have never camped near any of the San Diego area lakes, but they seem pretty fun. Anybody have any recommendations for a nice camp site near a lake that would be a nice area, and decent fishing when we want to take the yaks out?
Thanks 4 any help.
Steve

Corey · 03-26-2008, 02:16 PM

Lake Morena has good trout & bass fishing. Campsites are not very private, but are ok. You can reserve sites online. Just google Lake Morena for info.

Habu · 03-26-2008, 03:44 PM

I would recomend Lake Cuyamaca, http://www.lakecuyamaca.org/ But I dont know if you can launch a kayak right now its temporarily closed to private boaters due to the quagga mussel

Plus the town of Julian is quite nice and rustic

(but hav'nt been since the fires a few years back)

bearlythere · 03-27-2008, 07:37 AM

Ill agree with Corey...lake Morena is nice...fish can be hard to find at times but the launch area is easy for Kayaks and the lake it self is a nice place to get out and paddle...nice and open...Rangers are pretty nice just stop by when you get your permit and ask the for fishing suggestions.....for fun you could always try to help get rid of there Carp problem....just make sure to hang them on the Carp tree...

tacmik · 03-27-2008, 02:20 PM

No yak fishing at cyamaca

steveooo · 04-01-2008, 01:34 PM

Thanks 4 the replies.
Ended up getting a reservation at Lake Morena last minute and driving down after work on Friday. Corey was right. Nice place, campsites are not very private, but the fishing is decent.

Drive took us 4+ hrs from Pomona, so we set up camp in the dark. Chilly night (29 degrees) and woke up to a beautiful morning. You cant tell from the pic, but the sites are packed in like sardines without shrubs or anything separating them.

We bought the $5 each county fishing permits and got ready to fish. As we we setting up the Yak, the weather turned Ugly. Wind was going over 20mph and freezing cold. I have a very competitive and understanding wife, so she donned the waders and we headed out into the whitecaps on the lake. Too windy for bait rods, so we trolled a pair of Buoyants. Within a minute her rod tip is dancing and she had a beautiful stocker on deck a minute later.

We only fished for less than 3 hours, but we hooked probably 10 fish, landed 3, and had a few followers.

The one thing i did enjoy was that the fish were feisty. Every fish we hooked, although stockers, jumped almost instantly and frequently (thus 10 hooked, 3 landed). Biggest fish was a tad over 2 lbs, but i did have a monster that spit the hook quickly after 1 jump.
The second night it hailed on us, but we were just grateful that it waited until after we were in the tent.
The wife was happy because she got first fish on me and big fish on me. I was happy to get out of dodge for a weekend and spend it camping and on the water with my wife.
Thanks to those that replied to help me out.
Steve

Sherm · 04-01-2008, 01:37 PM

Nice job up there. The campsites were better before the fires went through.

bearlythere · 04-01-2008, 02:12 PM

Yea they used to have the North side open years ago for primative camping....that was nice right on shore line...i dont know if they will ever re-open it though....good place to paddle over to and stretch the legs...Good job way to have fun and come away with a few fish.

03-26-2008, 01:15 PM	#1
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	San Diego Camping Gonna try to go camping/fishing with the wife this weekend. Have never camped near any of the San Diego area lakes, but they seem pretty fun. Anybody have any recommendations for a nice camp site near a lake that would be a nice area, and decent fishing when we want to take the yaks out? Thanks 4 any help. Steve Last edited by steveooo; 03-26-2008 at 01:16 PM. Reason: To say thanks

03-26-2008, 02:16 PM	#2
Corey Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: ...waaaay out there Posts: 794	Lake Morena has good trout & bass fishing. Campsites are not very private, but are ok. You can reserve sites online. Just google Lake Morena for info. __________________

03-26-2008, 03:44 PM	#3
Habu Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cerritos Posts: 31	I would recomend Lake Cuyamaca, http://www.lakecuyamaca.org/ But I dont know if you can launch a kayak right now its temporarily closed to private boaters due to the quagga mussel Plus the town of Julian is quite nice and rustic (but hav'nt been since the fires a few years back)

03-27-2008, 07:37 AM	#4
bearlythere Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 88	Ill agree with Corey...lake Morena is nice...fish can be hard to find at times but the launch area is easy for Kayaks and the lake it self is a nice place to get out and paddle...nice and open...Rangers are pretty nice just stop by when you get your permit and ask the for fishing suggestions.....for fun you could always try to help get rid of there Carp problem....just make sure to hang them on the Carp tree...

03-27-2008, 02:20 PM	#5
tacmik Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: East County Posts: 914	No yak fishing at cyamaca

04-01-2008, 01:34 PM	#6
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Thanks 4 the replies. Ended up getting a reservation at Lake Morena last minute and driving down after work on Friday. Corey was right. Nice place, campsites are not very private, but the fishing is decent. Drive took us 4+ hrs from Pomona, so we set up camp in the dark. Chilly night (29 degrees) and woke up to a beautiful morning. You cant tell from the pic, but the sites are packed in like sardines without shrubs or anything separating them. We bought the $5 each county fishing permits and got ready to fish. As we we setting up the Yak, the weather turned Ugly. Wind was going over 20mph and freezing cold. I have a very competitive and understanding wife, so she donned the waders and we headed out into the whitecaps on the lake. Too windy for bait rods, so we trolled a pair of Buoyants. Within a minute her rod tip is dancing and she had a beautiful stocker on deck a minute later. We only fished for less than 3 hours, but we hooked probably 10 fish, landed 3, and had a few followers. The one thing i did enjoy was that the fish were feisty. Every fish we hooked, although stockers, jumped almost instantly and frequently (thus 10 hooked, 3 landed). Biggest fish was a tad over 2 lbs, but i did have a monster that spit the hook quickly after 1 jump. The second night it hailed on us, but we were just grateful that it waited until after we were in the tent. The wife was happy because she got first fish on me and big fish on me. I was happy to get out of dodge for a weekend and spend it camping and on the water with my wife. Thanks to those that replied to help me out. Steve

04-01-2008, 01:37 PM	#7
Sherm Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 490	Nice job up there. The campsites were better before the fires went through.

04-01-2008, 02:12 PM	#8
bearlythere Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 88	Yea they used to have the North side open years ago for primative camping....that was nice right on shore line...i dont know if they will ever re-open it though....good place to paddle over to and stretch the legs...Good job way to have fun and come away with a few fish.