Powered byEMF Contact Form

Sunday, April 5, 2020

April 2023 Morena Fishing Map, Fishing Report, Hunting Clubs, San Diego private fishing, hunting clubs


Quick View:
Location: Lake Morena is located 63 miles southeast of  San Diego on the edge of the Cleveland National Forest,  and near the U.S.-Mexico border. Operated by San Diego  County, it is part of the Regional Park system. To get  there, take l-8 from San Diego east to Buckman Springs  Road, turn south to Oak Drive, then take Lake Morena  Drive to the park.
There is a good campground at the lake,  with both hookup and primitive campsites and in recent  years some nice small cabins have been built as well. 
Season: San Diego's Lake Morena is open year-round, but stocks trout  only in the winter months, normally from late October  through February. Some holdover trout extend the trout  fishing into March, and perhaps even April. Morena is  also a good bass and catfish lake, and has good crappie  fishing in the spring.  Regulations and Fees (subject to change so please confirm) For trout and bass there is a five  fish limit. Catfish limit is ten, crappie limit is 25 and there  is no limit on bluegill and redear sunfish.
Boat  rentals are available, and but call the lake for to see if you may launch your own boat, because of low water.   Speed limit on the lake is 10 m.p.h., and  personal watercraft are not permitted; you only have to  share the water with sailboats and sail-boarders. Float  tube fishing is permitted. Morena follows the conventions  of the other lakes in the area. A floatation vest is  required, and you should wear a bit of international  Orange to alert boaters to your presence. An orange ball  cap is sufficient.  Information: Contact the San Diego Lake Ranger Office (619-579-4101)  For camping reservations, call (858-565-3600). There is a  fish report recording for Morena 619 478 5473.       

Lake Morena  Fishing Map, Fishing Report, and San Diego Hunting and fishing, hunting clubs nearby

 How to fish Lake Morena 

Lake morena fishing map and fish reports, how to fish Morena, San Diego County

If ever there was a choice bit of  trout fishing water little known by  California’s angling public, Lake  Morena is it. Morena is a water  storage reservoir of around 1,500  surface acres when full. At capacity, it  has 20 miles of shoreline, consisting of  jumbled piles of boulders and brushy  stands of dead trees — ideal habitat for  both fish and fishing. 
LAY OF THE LAKE: Unlike the much  better known chain of bass-producing  reservoirs that form the San Diego City  Lakes, Morena lies in rugged country  about 60 miles east of the city, and not  far from the California-Mexico border.      
 At an altitude of 3,000 feet in the  Cleveland National Forest. it is low  enough to be a quality warm-water fishery, yet it is also capable of sustaining  very good put-and-take trout fishing  during the winter months. 
BASS TOO: The bass fishing is what  Morena is noted for. It has some really  large bass to its credit. The lake records a 19-pound, 3-ounce monster caught hy  Arden Hanline of Chula Vista. Morena  is also home to an Intemationai Game  Fish Association fly-rod bass line class  record. San Diego angler Ned Sewell set  the mark in 1984, a time when Morena  was at the height of several years of high  water. His 13-pound, 9-ounce large-  mouth set an 8-pound tippet mark      
 PUT AND TAKE: In addition to the  prospect of trophy quality largemouth  and good panfish angling, Morena supports a better than average put-and-take  trout fishery in the cooler months of the  year. The fish are purchased by the  county (Morena is operated by the San  Diego County Park System) and they  come from the Whitewater hatchery,  which has a reputation for producing  quality rainbows.
 There are also a number of Department of Fish and Game  plants during the winter with fish raised  at the Mojave Hatchery in Victorville.  As is usual with put-and-take trout  fisheries. the hot action for the bait and  lure angler is often in the area around the  launch ramp where the fish are stocked. 
A variety of jar baits such as Berkley‘s  Power Bait (green glitter is a hot color)    and Zeke’s Floating  Bait are used. Small  lures that mimic baitfish  are hot items, but since  Morena is at 3,000 feet,  it gets too cold for  threadfin shad. Golden  and red shiners are used  as legal bait here, so  copper or gold lures  probably will work better than silver. 
BOULDERS &  BRUSH: The shore and  bottom of Morena is  very rocky and huge  boulders and brush are  typical features that  hold the bait and aquatic insects the trout eat,  During the winter trout  months, weed beds are  not a big concem, but  some of the best fishing  is in places where ultra-light tackle gets broken  off quite a bit. Perhaps  slightly heavier line and  a light leader will work  better. 
Most of the east and  south shore is open to  anglers on foot. There is  also a good open area  on the north side that  offers good fishing if  the water level is up.  There is also very good  angling for the small  boat- or float tube equipped angler.
At nearly 1,500 surface acres when full,  Morena is big enough that trolling for  trout is a good technique. Down by the  dam and in the deep central “slot” of the  lake is the best place to troll.
  TIPPET FLIPPERS: Since the mid  1990s, members of the “Wednesday  Bunch" of the San Diego Fly Fishers  have been float tubing and fly fishing  Morena for trout. They often find excellent fishing conditions in February and  March, and in the past, they’ve recorded  trout in the 16- to 18-inch class.  Fly anglers can get into good fish with  those old standbys: Woolly Buggers in  black or olive, about size 16. Most fly  anglers catch their trout at Morena with  sinking lines, but often when the water is  still winter cold you find schools of trout  prowling the upper few feet and a floating line can be used. 
BELLY BOATERS: One of the good  spots in recent years for the float tube  anglers has been the south end right at  the campground more than the upper  (north) end of the lake. The north end  only has water in good wet years or after  heavy winter rains. At the time this  report was written, Goat Island in the  north end was not an island any more. 
MAP MARK: Nearby  Cuyamaca Lake, another fine trout fishing spot not far away from Morena.  Because of Morena’s lower altitude, the  fly action picks up earlier in the year,  and so takes advantage of Morena’s  trout while the fishing at his lake is still  mostly dominated by the bait crowd. During January, February, and  March, and even into April, Morena can  be a great trout fishing spot.  Favorite spot is on the north shore  near the old Honor Camp, it’s a very long and  shallow area, and a float tube isn’t necessary.
Waders are helpful while the  water is still cold. Typically,  fish  streamers for the trout. Olive Matukas,  6, 8, and l0, and olive/black Woolly  Buggers, same sizes. Also a  fly made by Orvis known as  the Rainbow Trout Fly is  very good. Fish in the afternoon,  getting the last two or three  hours of daylight, better-than-average dry fly fishing on cool winter days. “The last half-hour, the dry  fly bite can be phenomenal.  The best is a Callibetis  Emerger or a Elk Hair  Caddis in 14 to 16 for both  flies. Try what we call  ‘bobber fishing.’ Cast the  fly towards working fish, but  since you can't tell which  direction they are going, it’s  a guess, so you just sit and  try to keep the fly as motion-less as possible until the fish  sees it and hits it.
 TROUT TIME: February and March  it’s usually possible to catch  three or four decent trout in  that last 30 minutes on dry  fliesThe size  is anywhere from 12 to 20  inches.            
Click on a county for Hunting Clubs & Fishing on Private Ranches:

AMADOR
LAKE 
MERCED
 YUBA

HUNTING CLUBS &RANCHES  SITE


Oregon and California hunting and fishing  maps of hunting clubs, hunting ranches, public and private fishing.
If you like our Fishing map and information on how to fish this lake, we have many more hunting and fishing maps, here is a screen shot, but if you want more info, click on this link:


www.freehuntfishmaps.com

Also, if you want very specific county by county information on fishing and hunting clubs in California and Oregon for private fishing, hunting clubs, and exclusive network of hunting ranches found nowhere else, here is a screen shot below, click on this link to go to the site:

www.ranchhuntandfish.com
hunting and fishing public lands oregon and california


www.ranchhuntandfish.com
California and Oregon for private fishing, hunting clubs, and exclusive network of hunting ranches
we have many more fishing maps and hunting maps at www.freehuntfishmaps.com
California Hunting Clubs for Turkey, deer, pig, quail, fishing with Hunting Maps.