Fishermen in California have a wide choice of lakes which provide them with excellent fishing opportunities. One of the best in southern California for bass fishing is the Lower Otay Lake.

Located on the Otay River in San Diego County, the lake was created on the completion of the Savage Dam. Typical lake information includes its size which is around 1,100 acres and its average depth which is approximately 125 feet. The lake is considered one of the best bass fishing spots on the west coast as the many old dead trees and rock piles provide perfect habitat.

The other primary fish species in the lake include catfish, bluegill, crappie and bullhead. Fish limits are 5 catfish, 5 bass and 25 crappie with no limit on other fish species. The lake is a Bassmaster Tournament location and is a popular spot in California during the fishing season.

Other lake information includes that it is open for fishing on Wednesday and the weekend and this can be done by boat, from the shoreline or using a float tube. No overnight camping is allowed around the lake with the nearest campground facilities being 2 miles away. The nearest city is Chula Vista which is around 8 miles west of the lake with downtown San Diego being a 30 minute drive away.

The weather is generally fine throughout the year with little rain. The high temperature in the summer months reaches into the 80’s with temperatures in the 60’s more typical during the winter. Other local attractions include boating and hiking.

When planning your family vacation near the ocean you might want to consider deep sea fishing as a day activity to take your family on. Deep sea fishing can be an incredibly fun activity that every person in your family can enjoy. One of the most important factors to consider as you plan your family deep sea fishing vacation is which charter company you’re going to choose. There are plenty of options, so let’s go over some now.

What sort of experience are you looking to have?

The answer to this question has a lot to do with which charter co. you’ll want to choose. Some deep sea fishing charter companies focus specifically on reef and/or wreck fishing while others focus more on inshore fishing. Then you’re also going to have to determine which fish you’d like to target. Of course, this is going to need to be something you decide before you even take your vacation because each area is going to have its own unique fish.

What’s your level of experience?

If you’re an expert fisherman you’re going to get bored on a boat that’s catering to beginners. If you’re a beginner you’re going to have a hard time succeeding on a boat full of experts. Factoring your level into what charter company you choose is extremely important because it will determine how much fun you have and your chances of having a successful fishing trip.

Some charter companies also specialize in trips designed around families, so find the one that best suits your needs.

What does the charter offer?

The best way to find out what charters offer is to ask the captain. The captain will always be willing to tell you what you need to know so you don’t waste time or money on a charter boat that isn’t going to give you exactly what you’re looking for.

Part of understanding what you want and what the charter offers is Read the rest of this entry »

The new Yo-Zuri Sashimi Minnow is a groundbreaking, highly detailed lure that actually changes color, mimicking the color changing behavior of many baitfish. These new lures attract inshore and offshore gamefish such as Stripers, Bluefish, Wahoo, Tuna, and more.

The Sashimi Minnow is available in 7 different patterns and features an internal rattle chamber.

If you’re like me, you like to carry around a few versatile lures that can be used for different types of fishing situations that may come up.

Macks Lure has introduced a new ‘hybrid spinner’ call hummbait. The unique lure is designed to attract fish with noise, vibration & appearance. This lure can be used for several different fishing techniques from casting, to buzzbait or even trolling.

HummBaits comes in three different sizes: 1/4 oz. (Minnow), 3/8 oz. (Smelts), and 1/2 oz. (Shad). Prices range from $3.29 to $3.99. You can pick them up at MacksLure.com or perhaps even find a deal at ebay

The patented Kick Tail Lure swims like fish, with its tail. The award winning lure reproduces the action of a real fish in such a realistic manner that 8 pros couldn’t tell the difference between it and a live bait fish.Unlike most standard jointed lures, the Kick-tail lure is separated into 5 different sections along the tail, giving a realistic side to side motion while keeping the lure straight and free from the wobbling which  traditional jointed lures generally have.

The KickTail lure gets high marks for its realistic action and fish catching ability, lower marks for its durability. This lure is guaranteed to double your catch – or your money back.

The Watershed Fly Box is one of the most innovative fly boxes to hit the market in awhile. Designed to fulfill any fly fishing situation, this box comes in 5 different varieties and features special O ring gaskets to keep everything watertight & dry.

For a limited time only, you can save up to 65% on these high quality fly boxes at Orvis. Hurry… because 2 varieties are already sold out.

Uncle Josh Eels feature smooth, fluid action, and the natural appearance closely resembles foraging fish. Every bait is pre-punched to make rigging simple. Realistic pork scent with vibrant colour makes an ideal trailer for jigs and spinners.

The award winning Megabass Type-X From was created from the ground up specifically to have a distinct action capability which never existed on the market before. The innovative body design and detailing means this lure can dance, walk, splash, hop, skip, and splash to create a fish enticing commotion on the surface of the water. Try the Megabass Frog on those hard to catch bass for a pleasant surprise.

By Corinne Springdale During the months of May, June, and July, a great many anglers in the Gulf Coast region head to the beach to snare the Speckle Trout.  The Speckle Trout is a large trout, silver in color with olive-green tinting.  The “speckle” is given by the many small black dots that extend from its dorsal fin down to the tail.  Commonly, the Speckle Trout is between 14 to 18 inches long, and weighs between one to three pounds.  Its lower jaw is generally more prominent than its upper jaw and its mouth encapsulates two canine teeth.  Speckle Trout prefer small crustaceans, shrimp, and small fish for their diets. Read the rest of this entry »

This lure, of which a fair number were made in the 1950’s, used a small amount of mercury suspended in a glass vial of neon gas. All contained in the center of the lure. The reason: the lure would actually light up when moved. This effect can still be seen over 50 years later.

manufacturer: Neon Mickey Bait Company