Irvine Regional Park

[Jonas Staggs]

Had a brief chance to check this place out today. So its nothing more than a tiny duck pond, filled with duck crap. Talked to one of the workers who was working there, I thought he was throwing fish pellets into the pond, nope, he was throwing chemicals to reduce the duck poop, told me its about 1 foot thick on the bottom. So long story short its a pond of duck crap. Water is not survivable for any fish except of course carp. I thought I had a chance at maybe catching a trout as they just stocked it and had their trout derby. Not too sure what the DFG is thinking when they stock a pond like this with trout, as theres no way in hell a trout is going to survive there, aside from the water being nasty that fish wont survive, the water is also way too hot and shallow. Matter of fact, the only trout I caught was one with my hand that was dying from the heat, thing was floating upside down near the bank, still barely alive. I couldnt imagine 500 trout crammed into that tiny pond. 

[camman]

its been probably 10+ years since I fished that.  If I recall at the time lots of ducks but not full of duck poop.  I remember you could catch some catfish in the summertime and had to go ultra light tackle to catch the bass.

[skekoam]

I've been there a handfull of times.  In the summer you can catch about 30 small bluegill.  I've seen several bass caught out of there too, but only finesse baits work.   I caught a trout there last week on a baby bull shad.  I was floored.

[Jonas Staggs]

On 3/12/2020 at 1:11 PM, camman said:

its been probably 10+ years since I fished that.  If I recall at the time lots of ducks but not full of duck poop.  I remember you could catch some catfish in the summertime and had to go ultra light tackle to catch the bass.

It was my first time there, very poor water quality, I dont think any fish can survive there other than carp, theres a few big carp in the bottom. I was fishing a 1/64 oz jig and nothing. Only a dying trout and saw one smaller one swimming. I dont think the trout can survive long in that water and conditions

On 3/12/2020 at 2:23 PM, skekoam said:

I've been there a handfull of times.  In the summer you can catch about 30 small bluegill.  I've seen several bass caught out of there too, but only finesse baits work.   I caught a trout there last week on a baby bull shad.  I was floored.

How long ago was this that you caught bluegill? I was there a few days after the trout stocking. Saw a dying trout, and 1 tiny one swimming. I dont think the trout can survive long in that water. I really dont think any fish can survive in that water, place was like a duck porta-potty. 

[skekoam]

My son has caught a few gluegills recently here and there, but not many since around June/August of last year.  In the summer, literally they will bite everything and anything you throw into the water.  The day I caught the trout, I saw some small LMB swimming by the boat rental area.  They wouldn't bite anything, including a live nightcrawler.  

[WRB]

Vail lake is open to bank fishing and with the current rain may allow kayaks if the water comes up enough.

Lake Irvine has decent bass fishing.

Castiac allows kayaks both the lagoon and upper lake.

Tom

[Jonas Staggs]

9 hours ago, skekoam said:

My son has caught a few gluegills recently here and there, but not many since around June/August of last year.  In the summer, literally they will bite everything and anything you throw into the water.  The day I caught the trout, I saw some small LMB swimming by the boat rental area.  They wouldn't bite anything, including a live nightcrawler.  

i was tossing 1/64 oz jig with gulp minnow, that thing usually produces just about everywhere for me.