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Canyon Lake has a reputation as one of the best fishing lakes in California with many anglers who really enjoy the thrill of the catch in the lake’s well stocked waters. Canyon Lake So Cal recently interviewed two such fishermen, Lance and Lee, who shared a little information about what they like to catch and where they like to fish and a few tips about bait and gear:
CLSC: How long have you guys been fishing Canyon Lake?
L & L: About 4 years.
CLSC: How many times a week?
L & L: 2-3 times a week at least
CLSC: What’s your favorite part of the lake to fish?
Lance: Depends on the time of year – we travel around the lake. If we aren’t catching much we move to a better spot. Our best areas are Sierra Park, Ski Jump Lagoon, Harrelson Park for Catfish.
Lee: Holiday Harbor is great spot – we caught a big catfish there last night.
CLSC: At Ski Jump Lagoon are you shore fishing or tube fishing?
Lee: Both, but mostly shore fishing.
CLSC: What kind of fishing do you like to do the most – boat, shore, or tube?
Lance: It just depends on where the fish are hanging out. Today 3 of us were on the boat and we caught 19 fish.
Lee: This time of the year (late spring), a lot of fish are near the shore so we stay close to the shoreline on the boat or fish off the banks a lot.
CLSC: What kind of fish are you after this time of the year?
Lee: Bass, catfish
Lance: Mostly bass for us right now, that’s we like to fish for most of the time because they put up a great fight. Late at night, we go after the catfish.
CLSC: Is this the best time of the year to fish for bass?
Lee: Absolutely!
Lance: Right now… they’re all done spawning.
CLSC: What about in the winter time?
Lance: Whatever we catch. We still catch a lot of bass, but it’s slower.
CLSC: What size fish you catching these days?
Lee: He caught a six and a half pounder today.
Lance: Yeah, it was a six and a half today.
Lee: Usually they average about three to four pounds.
CLSC: What are you fishing with?
Lee: We use live bait.
Lance: We use shad to catch our bass.
Lee: We catch a bunch of shad, keep them in the live well, and then hook ’em up as bait for the bass. They swim hard and the bass go after ’em. The guys in the fishing tournaments out here aren’t allowed to use shad.
CLSC: What’s the best time of the day to fish?
Lee: Morning.
Lance: Morning and evening from 3:00 until the sun goes down.
CLSC: Is Canyon Lake easy fishing or some of the best fishing you’ve done?
Lee: You’ll catch a lot of fish here. Last year around this same time we caught 200 fish in one week.
Lance: I took a week off last summer and caught 80 bass in one week.
CLSC: What rules about fishing in Canyon Lake should people know about?
Lee: It’s catch and release for anything under 12″. You’re take home limit is 5 fish.
Lance: We catch and release all our fish like most of the guys here, but you can eat ’em and they’re good eating – both the bass and the catfish.
CLSC: What about fishing licenses?
Lance: You have to have a state license. Visitors can only fish in the presence of a property owner and then they need a state license and Canyon Lake fishing permit.
Lee: And you have to fish within 10′ of that member.
CLSC: What’s one of your favorite spots?
Lance: At the north end of the main lake near the 3 tubes from the slalom lake.
CLSC: Anything else you want to add?
Lance: It’s all about catching the fish and having fun.
