Hello all,

We just bought a house in Mission Viejo recently and it came with a MV Lake membership. Since paying the fee isn't optional, I decided to make the most of the lake and turn my wife into a fishing widow!! ;-)

My past fishing experience mostly was fishing off the piers in Southern California and doing a little freshwater fishing in Florida.

I've try reading and watching everything I can find about bass fishing, but I just haven't had any luck in Mission Viejo Lake. I only fish off the North Shore (I would rent a boat if I knew what I was doing) and see about the only thing working for other people is either real or artificial worms. I've tried spinnerbaits and crankbaits only to be told "those never work here". What the heck??

Anyone have any consistent luck off the shore/dock at MV?? I've thought about hiring a guide, but since we just bought the house, my piggy bank is rather empty now.

Thanks for any and all help. Good luck fishin'!!!

I'm sure you could bribe more than a few people to take you fishin if you live at the lake :-) I have never been there, but I'm sure some of the other guys on the site will have some info for you.

I fished Mission on Saturday, I have not really fished much bass from the shore or the dock, you can catch catfish bluegill or trout from the shore, "when stocked" and do well.
Just rent a boat and cruise around for a while the water is very clear and look for fish. I saw a lot of people soaking nightcrawlers.
I was fishing in 20-25 feet of water fishing dropshot with a 2 1/2 foot leader. The key right know is finding structure or the grass. The first fish of the morning I caught was on a spinnerbait casting into the beach slow rolling it over the grass, I mainly fish plastics. It's a tough lake for bass due to the clear water, Or there spoiled. They start stocking trout in November every other Tuesday and thats wide open fishin...
good luck hope this helps
scott

fishtrax_65

Thanks for the help guys.

I was back out at the lake last evening fishing from the north dock. I was mostly trying out some new lures I bought. A couple of small fish took an aggressive nip, but none inhaled the hook.

Some guy landed what looked like a 5 pound bass, but he was using live bluegill which the lake prohibits (yet weakly enforces).

Do you think many of the large bass in MVL have been caught before and are very suspicious of anything that doesn't look 99% real?? I hate using real bait, but that's what everyone else is using.

Gotta go to work, so no fishing for me until this weekend. :(

CONGATS, YOU MOVED ON ONE OF THE TOUGHEST BIG BASS LAKES ON THE WEST COAST!!!! NO REALLY MAN, NOT TO PEE ON YOUR TEA PARTY, THAT LAKE IS ACTUALLY A GREAT FISHERY, JUST TOUGH @ TIMES. i HAVE PERSONALLY HAD ALOT BETTER LUCK AT NIGHT THERE, THE DAYTIME BRINGS ALOT OF PRESSURE, AND THE CLEARWATER DOES NOT HELP THE BITE EITHER. THE FISH TEND TO HOLD IN VARIOUS DEEP ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURE IN 25-30 FEET OF WATER, THERE IS ALOT OF BIG STRUCTURE IN THAT LAKE, GET YOURSELF A DEEP LIL N, OR EVEN A DD22 AND A FISHFINDER, AND HEAD OUT THERE AT NIGHT. ONE WEIRD PATTERN I HAVE FOUND THERE, IS THEY CHEW WHITE COLORED BAITS DURING THE DAY, YEAR ROUND!!!!! WAIT TIL THE SPAWN ROLLS AROUND SEASON, YOU WILL HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!
B.T.W.---------------> THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE A WORLD RECORD CLASS FISH COULD COME OUTTA THERE ANYTIME
THE ROOK

I was just curious if Nosehook or anyone knew the lake record for LMB at MV? What size lake is it,if it's small and gets trout plants sounds like a good combo for hunting big dawgs!Reminds me of the lower Castaic Lagoon.
Wish it was public!!

The Lake Record is 17.75 lbs, and the deepest part of the lake is 65 foot. On Saturday I saw a HUGE fish sitting under a buoy, my friend and I estimated her to be pushing 20 pounds. When they start stocking trout go down to the dock and watch the big bass swim off with trout. Its pretty cool!

fishtrax_65

can u floattube MV?

Save a wave, Ride a surfer.

GROM, YES, YOU CAN SWIM AND FISH IF YOU WANT... AND FYI, THE LAKE RECORD IS 19.7!!!!!!! MISSION FISH!!!!!!!

can you fish that place if a resident takes you in,if so anybody want a new fishin buddy?that place sounds to good to be true,and if i had acsess to that place id want it all for my self aswell,so when you guys start gettin um this trout season try not to rub it in to much!!!


peace fellas.....

fish till you drop!!!!!