San Diego Sport Fishing: 8 Freshwater Lakes to Consider on Your Next Fishing Trip

If you mention San Diego sport fishing, most people will think of deep-sea fishing on a charter boat offshore. And, of course, there's pier fishing, bay fishing, surf fishing and various other forms of sport fishing. However, what most people don't realize is that San Diego has excellent freshwater fishing as well.

    San Diego has several nearby lakes for freshwater fishing. Lake Cuyamaca is a small, 110-acre lake nestled in the Cuyamaca Mountains and is known to produce Rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill and sturgeon. This is a popular spot to go fly fishing as well. Boats are allowed, however, there are several good spots to fish from shore. You can also camp here.

    Lake Jennings is another small lake, about 85 acres, that is known to have very good catfish fishing, including large blue catfish in the 12-plus pound range. They also stock trout, and you can catch bass and bluegill as well. If you don't have a boat, this is a good spot to fish San Diego as there are abundant shoreline locations to cast from. There is also a campground nearby if you want to make a weekend out of it.

    If you want to fish for monster bass, consider Lake Dixon near Escondido. Rumor has it that largemouth bass upwards of 20 pounds have been caught. In addition, you can fish for catfish and trout. Since they stock the lake with trout, this gives the bass plenty to feed on which produces bigger fish. Once again, there is camping nearby. Note that boats and tubes are not allowed, but you can fish the shoreline or rent a boat.

    Another lake in the area is Lake Miramar. This is a pretty small lake, but there are plenty of fish, including bluegill, bass, trout and channel catfish. This lake is good for a day of San Diego fishing only as camping is not permitted.

    About 30 minutes to the south is Lower Otay Reservoir near Chula Vista. This lake draws serious bass fishermen and occasional bass fishing tournaments are held here because it's a good-sized lake, at least in comparison to the others previously mentioned. Once again, this is a great lake for bass fishing, but you may also find a bluegill or catfish on the hook. Boats are allowed. Note that there is a smaller lake connected to this one, Upper Otay Reservoir; however, this lake is for catch and release only.

    Located in the middle of the county is a hidden gem, Lake Murray. While it is best known to attract walkers, joggers, bicyclists, rollerbladers and picnickers, it also has surprisingly good bass fishing; surprising because this lake wouldn't appear to be good for fishing at first glance tucked among the thousands of homes and streets. Other than bass, you might catch catfish, bluegill or trout, which is planted annually. You can rent boats or bring your own canoe or floattube.

    One of the biggest lakes for San Diego fishing is San Vicente Reservoir, boasting more than 1,100 acres and 14 miles of shoreline. This lake hosts bass tournaments on occasion and is known to produce monster blue catfish; one caught in 2000 weighed in at 101 pounds. Trout is planted and other fish you're likely to encounter include bluegill and crappie. Boats are permitted. One other thing you should know is that this lake is the only lake in the area that allows water sports, such as tubing, skiing and wakeboarding. So, the fishing may be good, but don't expect it to be peaceful all the time.

    The opposite of San Vincente Reservoir is Lake Morena, about an hour east of downtown San Diego. This lake is quite remote and sits at about 3,000 feet in the Laguna foothills. Lake Morena is known to produce decent bass, trout, crappie, bluegill and catfish. There are two campgrounds, making this a popular spot for the outdoorsman who likes to fish and camp.

So, if you thought San Diego sport fishing was only about deep-sea, pier, bay, surf or charterboat fishing, think again. As you can see, there are several good spots for freshwater fishing too. When it comes to San Diego sport fishing, the only limitation is your time and budget.