Where do I start this report? The Central Coast lakes are on fire right now. WON had a tournament in Cachuma on Saturday and there were fish everywhere for all the anglers who participated. Over 1000 pounds of bass were caught for an AVERAGE of 3.75 pounds! How would you like to fish in a lake where the average fish you catch is 3.75!? Big fish for the tournament was in the 6 pound class so there were lots and lots of quality fish caught. The winners caught their fish on a dropshot in 20-40 feet, quite against conventional wisdom when there were so many fish up on beds. However, the wind blew hard and the sight fishermen couldn’t see the fish and buddy Jared Lintner, accomplished sight fishermen, took 4th, only 7 ounces out of 1st. There were some good trout bait fish, while all the boats (88) were milling around in the marina previous to blast-off an osprey dove down and caught a trout and everyone knew the Osprey bite was on! Go to this lake early in the morning and look at some tremendous fish on beds. There are lots of fish up but there are lots of fish still to come up as evidenced by the deep bite. RELASE any fish you catch since they are needed to perpetuate a good fishery. A 14 pounder was caught about a week ago, as well as a few 10 plus. Try Cachuma for the trophy of a lifetime.
I fished Lopez today with my good buddy Jared and we had a wonderful day catching about 20 fish with the big one a 5.5 pounder I caught on a dropshot in Wittenberg. We caught fish on all the good pre-spawn baits; ripbaits, spinnerbaits, Senkos, and lipless crankbaits. The fish are where you think they should be, keep throwing the good stuff and you’ll catch them. One interesting note; the end of Lopez Arm was covered with duckweed, a phenomena I have never seen before.
Santa Margarita Lake, everyone’s favorite, has lots of fish on beds including crappie, largemouth, and catfish. The water is so clear you can see fish everywhere which makes them easy to locate but hard to catch. Tonya caught a beautiful 9 plus pound bass on a trout bait as well as some other good fish. Hats off to this wonderful couple who know how to catch fish. If you see them at the lake you’ll get a straight answer from them on how the fishing is. Try throwing the Senko, floating worms, ripbait, and of course, the Osprey. This lake is also a great place to cruise the shoreline and see some beautiful fish. They may be tough to catch but seeing is believing!
San Antonio Lake also has lots of fish on beds in Harris Creek and other spawning places. The Senko has been very effective here as well as flukes and ripbaits. There is still lots of brush to fish in this lake and the fish are there. Go equipped with plenty of the good stuff and see what is on the menu for the day. With little wind and lots of fish San Antonio can be a great place to practice on pre-spawn and spawning fish. Be sure to release these fish where you catch them and they will go right back to their beds.
Nacimiento is also on fire with lots of white bass being caught and loads of largemouth on the bank. Many people don’t ever see the spotted bass on beds since they spawn early and deep but they are there and can be caught on Daiquiri Senkos and ripbaits. I know almost anyone reading this will be savvy about catch and release but if you want to keep the bass you catch go to another site. Good luck, let me know how you are doing!

Thanks for the report, Pete! Keep them coming, we all really appreciate them.
I plan on hitting Lopez or Margarita on Saturday morning in my kickboat. Anyone interested in joining me??

I will be over for 6 days on this Sunday.I will be in a yellow and red kayak.Say hi if you see me,that clear water sounds great.Last year it was still a bit stained from the flood in early March that went over the dam.Scott Shaw

If you don't mind me asking!How far is the hike and where is River Road entrance? Thanks for the help.

Hi Mike!

River road is located off Pozo road, just before you get to "down town Pozo"....You make a left after the bridge on to river road, then go until you see the park entrance(dirt parking lot with info board and port-o-potie) I'm guessing about 3 miles maybe less. Then you hump everything in....about 2 miles to the lake on a well defined trail. I use a large "over night" pack to hold waders and such. Its tough if you over pack, but right now it is well worth it!!!!!
Have fun! You might see me back there on Saturday morning...

Thanks for the info!That will help me alot.Thanks again Tubbin Bo...

Mikeb,
Did you make it into the Lake over the weekend? Like Tubin BoBo said, it can be well worth the trip. You probably had an even longer hike since the lake is down so much.

Didn't make it to the lake this weekend. Had an opportunity to Salmon fish out of Santa Barbara. Slow day..out of four of us fishing only one fish was caught, by one of the others, it was a 10 pounder. Nothing for me.

Hopefully everyone had a successful weekend.

I've heard the salmon bite has slowed way down in the channel, the water is getting warmer and sending those fish this way! Hope the wind lays down a bit so we can get at them. I'll post anything I hear.

Hey Pete thanks also from me for the Report! Far better then that Thursday special in the T.T.....(No offence to whom ever writes that one).....I hit Margarita tonight after work, I fished most of Salsipuedas Bay in a Float Tube. Caught a 4lb'er on a crawdad Jig. No luck with the Clear w/black flake though....Guess I should be using a different color? I'll be back there again Saturday Morning also floattubbin. Thinkin about hikin in from River Road entrence. I did that a couple of weeks ago and had a blast back there....

Tubin BoBo,
How was the fishing in Santa Marg over the weekend? Hope you saw some good fish and caught some too. With all this warm weather the topwater should be going, did you try any?

My brother an I made it back there to the "Narrows of Santa Margarita lake" for the afternoon/evening bit on Sat. I have to tell ya, I really need a Digital Camera! Because I can't wait to develop these shots!...I took the advice, from the couple that had all the success using the Osprey. I made two casts and Boooooom! What a giant! I was so proud of my new,very expensive lure and this thing destroyed it! There was nothing left of the 9" Osprey, it was barely hanging on the line and the darn hook was way down this things mouth. After an unsuccessful try at taking out the hook, I ended up cutting the line. I was really bummed about leaving that hook in that monster of a fish, but I think I would of did worse damage trying to get it out.... I really have to start wieghing these monsters. In the heat of trying to get a picture,keeping it wet and trying to get a huge trebble hook out of a huge Large Mouth, I seem to over look that wieghing thing....This one, I wish I would of wieghed,had to be one of my best! Other then that, I tried Senko's (Clear w/black flake) Nothin......Tried the ms Slammer, nothin........and caught one on a Crawdad jig....Wish I had another of those Osprey's....That one fish made the 2 mile,1 hour hike in there worth it!

Great report BoBo! Hope you post a picture when you get them back! Today I got my first shipment of Inline Heavies; Ospreys already rigged the right way so they don't tear up on the first fish. The price is a little higher but worth it when you can catch fish after fish. Since I didn't have them there when you stopped in we can cut you a good price on a new one. However, I sold them all out of the box! I should get a new shipment in a week or less. In the meantime if you stop in I can show you how to modify the baits. Talk to you soon!

Pete-
I've been hearing a lot about Osprey's but I must say I've never heard of them until this year (at least the bait, that is). Could you describe what makes this bait special? Thanks!

Basicly think of a big hammer or fish trap on crack! They are fat, pot bellied plastic swimbaits with a hook running through the nose and out the stomach. Fortuanatly they do melt back together if you need to after a big fish, or in my case, a big BIRD!!! Get one and chuck it, they are cool baits. I have gotten one fish on mine and it was a 6.8, well worth the bait right there. Another plus is they bounce off rocks pretty well unlike the slammers :)

Joel

Oh I like the fact that they bounce well off rocks and the like. I have some "battle wounds" on my Slammer due to "structure" I've "encountered" over the years.
Pete, the next time you get a batch in, pull one aside for me. Thanks!

Most of the swimbaits before the Osprey had a hook or a leadhead/hook embedded in the plastic. The Osprey uses a hook harness that passes through the body, like Joel Says, which allows the bait to slide up the line (in theory) and away from the fish so it is much more difficult for a big bass to shake it out. Since the hook is not molded in the plastic can be softer and more bouyant and swim near the surface. Like the Optimum Swimbaits which catch salt and freshwater fish, the paddle on the tail is very broad and makes a bigger 'kick' in the water. Bass West had an interesting article on trout baits and Folkstead said he used Opsreys early in the year and Optimum later when the trout went deeper. 'Waking' a wooden bait like the Slammer can be deadly all year especially early and late in the day in the summer.