Lake Poway 3/16
I have three filleted trout in my freezer, the results of recent local mud hole lake trips. I need a couple more to make a smoker load so off to Lake Poway I went. With the time change they opened the gate a quarter after six and I had my permit and first cast of the slowly sinking Power Bait rig by 6:30 at Buttinski Point. Next, out went an earthworm from my front yard planter suspended six feet under a bobber.
Thirty seconds into it my Power Bait pole went bendo but as I cranked the handle the line went limp. Ah jeez, the line broke above the bobber. A critical malfunction of the four pound monofilament must have happened in the pick-up bed on the ride over. I checked for nicks last night but didn’t feel any.
Just then my worm rod twitched and I was on. I loosened the drag knob as the fish fought. It was the normal battle; the fish come in with not too much resistance until they are in shallow, then they make several runs to the right and left. Five minutes later I netted the two-pound rainbow and slid it into my creel.
Oh boy! It’s going to be a great day! Not really. I was there until eleven without another bite. I had a view of several other shoreline anglers, none of whom caught anything. The many trollers in boats had a few but their trout bit around the same time mine did.
There has been a large algae bloom commencing at this lake. Our usual spot we fished these past months is blocked by large green mats choking the area.
Last time I was here I named the point where I fished today Buttinski because while I was casting, some other dude showed up made camp three feet from me. Chuck P. sent me this link to a video of a fishing trip to a lake in Africa which changed my perspective on what constitutes a buttinski.
Well, that was fun, kind of. Chapter two of our day had me scouting the back way to Ramona Lake. Ramona is a semi-remote reservoir built in the 1980s. It has a population of largemouth bass and is not accessible via motor vehicle. You have to hike up a three-mile dirt service road from the Blue Sky Preserve parking lot on Espola Road. Looking at an online map I can see via bird’s eye view there is another shorter dirt road leading to the lake called Green Valley Truck Trail. Looks like you can park near the lake and mosey on down a path to the water.
Wrong. From Pomerado road, I took Highland Valley road for 10 miles then turned onto Green Valley. The gate was open but there were many signs posted saying, no trespassing, no parking, private road and the kicker, no access to Ramona Lake. It was as if they had been expecting me.
I did manage to prepare the four trout and get them trout into the smoker, as this just might be the last trout until this year’s summer Sierra trips.
*****
Fish News:
Eastern Sierra tradition returns for 44th year
2 fishermen sentenced for possesion of giant seabass
Fred Hall show opens this week
Dominator wrecked off P.V. 50 years ago - I remember mom and dad took me to see it back in the day.
Billions of sardines die in King Harbor
Volunteers needed to clean up sardines
Tsunami impeds sardine cleanup
Redondo sardines spill all over freeway
Redondo a scientists treasure chest
Capsized kayaker rescued off Dana
All-tackle yellowfin record confirmed
So. Cal. beach towns readying for sea level rise
Pod of sperm whales show up of So. Cal.
Pollution drove fish evolution
192-lb aligator gar from Red River
Crappie bite starting early this year
Irvine Lake report with tips on bait