Opening Day on Lake Barrett, San Diego is Approaching

If you're at all into trophy bass fishing then you know that San Diego, California is a hot bed for some of the biggest large mouth bass (LMB) in the country. Southern California lakes and reservoirs are stocked with trout and according to the U.S Climate Data have an annual average temperature of 63.65 degrees Fahrenheit. This combination of provided food source and warm temperatures creates an excellent habitat for some seriously big Florida strain large mouth bass; including several bass weighing up to 20lbs. With so many big fish pulled out of surrounding lakes in the region it is rare to see Barrett Lake in the news.

Barrett lake is known for being one of the only remaining fisheries in southern California with a healthy population of northern strain Large Mouth Bass. With opening day on the lake less than one week away expectations are high, however it seems the reservoir is experiencing a conflicting life-cycle. When California Fish and wildlife accessed the lake in January their findings called for preservation and patience. Barrett lake, with its high population of bass, typically provides anglers with double digit catch days. However, an over abundance of shad has had a negative affect on the fishery. "Everything we caught was gorged on bait,” said Russell Black, a senior environmental supervisor for Fish and Wildlife. “When you net a fish and it immediately spits up two or three shad, it’s not going to chase an artificial lure. They all had little baseballs of bait in their stomachs. The fishing definitely was slow."

“The public’s going to be unhappy because Barrett is known for 30-, 40-, 50-fish days. Opening day probably won’t be like that. But from a fisheries management perspective, it’s fine. They’re really healthy fish.”

Although it seems that the record days at Barrett may be gone for now, the overall quality of bass caught is great, when compared with ideal growth curves, many of the bass scored off the charts.  So while Barrett Lake may be on the rebound, you may want to add it to your list of lakes to visit in San Diego. With its unique geography, its character, and unique population of northern large mouth, Barrett Lake makes for a classic bass fishery. To learn more about fishing Barrett Lake, view the full San Diego Tribune article.