The Diamond Valley Lake Fishing Report February 23, 2009

Gift certificates are available in the Marina or by calling 1-800-590-LAKE

Fish Plants: DFG continues to inundate the lake with catchable and fingerling trout. DVL will stock 1000 pounds of Mt. Lassen trout the first week of March.

Lake Hours: 6:30am to 4:45pm

Weather: The weather was warmer this week with highs in the 60's with little rain or wind.

Stop by the Marina and tell us about your fish!

BASS DVL
DVL refuses to disappoint bass anglers. Improved weather and great testimonials lured the fair weather fishermen this week. DVL saw a sharp increase in bass reports this week, but the fish were notably smaller, mostly between 2 and 5 pounds. The reported locations were as diverse the baits, but the most common accounts have bass between 10 and 25 feet on the dams or south shore points fishing drop shot rigged finesse worms, Senkos, Ikas, and swimbaits. Mike Furr reported a 4.59 pound bass caught drop shotting plastic worms on the south side. The best report of the week was from Willie and Don who caught massive amounts of bass between 5 and 7 pounds with their biggest just over 10 pounds. They would not reveal their location, but they were fishing with swimbaits.

TROUT
Shore and trout anglers did well for trout this week. Trout numbers decreased, but the big fish kept biting. The east dam was the best spot for trout this week. Powerbait, nightcrawlers, mini jigs were all great for trout. Most reports have trout in very shallow water, between 5 and 10 feet. Matt Johnson of Hemet caught a 6.96 pound trout fishing from shore with powerbait. Derek Tryon and Dallas of Murrieta reported a 7.52 lb trout caught along the east dam with powerbait. Roy Leevano of Ontario caught a 7.58 pound trout fishing a plastic crawdad in the third cove to the right of the marina.

STRIPER
Three days of consecutive trout plants from DFG and Mt. Lassen made DVL wide open for striper. Anglers have been trolling and casting swimbaits near the inlet tower and the west dam. Catches have ranged from the surface down to 50 feet. Paul Thompson caught a 21.6 pound striper fishing with a swimbait. Louie Vega of Hemet caught a 17.35 pound striper fishing with a swimbait near the inlet. Sam Chavez of San Jacinto caught a 11.59 pound striper fishing with a Spro BBZ-1 by restroom 2.

CATFISH
Winter time is not the best time to fish for cats, but there has been some big fish caught over the past few months. Mackerel, anchovies and shrimp have been the typical baits. There was one catfish caught from shore this week weighing 10 pounds.

PANFISH
Pan fishing has been typical for winter conditions, but that is not to say that the opportunity is non existent. Johnny Duangmala caught a 2.91 pound crappie fishing with a Strike King lure fishing on the east shoreline.

LAKE RECORDS

Lake Record Striper November 11, 2005: Art Berry of Hemet; 29.77 lb. striper caught at East Dam using swimbait.
Lake Record Largemouth Bass March 16th 2007: Mike Long of Poway, 16.43 lb bass. He was fishing the west dam with a 6" "Real Trout" Rago swimbait.
Lake Record Crappie: 3.0 pounds landed by Keith Thomas. He was fishing with shad.
Lake Record Blue Gill: John Arganda, of Menifee, holds the lake pan fish record by bringing in a 3.06 pound blue gill. He got it on a night crawler fishing near the saddle dam.
Lake Record Catfish October 29, 2008: Jason Walsh, of Temecula, caught a 42.56 pound catfish using an LA Slider near the inlet tower.
Lake Record Trout, December 3, 2008: Cesar Cruz of Hemet holds the DVL trout record at 15.06 pounds. He was fishing on the north corner of the east dam with a Thomas Buoyant lure.