Lake Elsinore, CA and Mud Marlins

[Bill B]

Got the bug to go fishing with the good weather we are having right now in SoCal.  So packed up the gear to do a little catfishing at Lake Elsinore.  Headed over Saturday morning, set up for some catfish and waited, and waited, and waited.  Nothing, nada.  Watching those around me were catching fish, and lots, but they were not catfish.....Carp and LOTS of carp.  A little side note, Lake Elsimore is a shallow lake and has suffered from algae blooms caused by carp in the past, and even had a company come in and TRY to remove the carp from the lake.  I believe he took about 3 million pounds from the lake.....well, I think he missed a couple million pounds by the looks of what was being caught.  So no catfish today, but hell, I want to catch some fish so time to regroup for carp on Sunday.  Did a little research for carp bait and came across a recipe for "boilies" ?!?!  Well, some corn meal, flour, eggs and something sweet like koolaid or sugar, make a little ball and, go figure, boil them......  I can cook pretty good, so off to make boilies.  Made a bunch of them.  OK Im gonna catch a mess of Mud Marlins tomorrow. Packed up the truck and headed out .  Ohhh, BTW, I threw some raw ingredients in the truck for good luck. (you may see this material later)

Got to the lake, set up and I was fishin'


An hour went by, no fish?  Watching the guys yesterday, it was all they could do to keep them OFF the lines.  Even the guys to my left were catchin' fish


Hmmm, time to rethink this.  The internet said boilies were the hot ticket, could the ever knowing Google be wrong?  Well, I did see the guys yesterday making carp bait fresh on the lakeside, so out I pulled my raw materials (told you, you might see this material later).  Equal parts corn meal and flour, a good dash of corn syrup, add some lake water to make a dough, and BAM, I got's some carp bait.

Well, now I couldnt keep carp off my line  , at time I had doubles hooked up, ended up the day with 7 fish, about 14 pounds, the largest at 3 1/4 pounds.



Well, knowing Lake Elsinore is battling carp and they are a plague at the lake, took them home.  Filleted them up and cooked them for dog food  .  Looking at the water at Elsinore, I wasnt gonna even try to eat them, but hey the dogs loved them.  Now I can check Mud Marlins off the list if fish to catch      Bill

[Gfish]

That's a nice lookin lake Bill. It's in eastern Ca.? The Valley? Is it a reservior? The water does look pretty green in the first photo.

[MarkT]

It's a mud hole off of I-15 on the east side of the Santa Ana mountains. If you go up and over and head down the Ortega Hwy you end up in San Juan Capistrano.

[Gfish]

"Mud hole" = eutrophacated = productive. Untill probably the summer months when you could get fish die-off due to lack of O2. Just sayin though, it don't look like a typical Ca. reserivor with the steep banks and lack of productive shallow water. The real problem with reserivors for game fish is when they raise and lower the water level alla time.

[MarkT]

It's a natural lake but not a permanent lake.  It will and does dry out.  They've been pumping in water for years to keep it a lake.  It has water quality issues and has lots of carp but they stock catfish, bass, crappie and bluegill too. The Lake Elsinore chamber of commerce and visitors bureau want you to come visit their wonderful lake and spend money at their outlet mall and casino.  Some days you'll have to hold your nose at the lake. I've fished and water skied there when my kids were small... they loved it!

[steelfish]

looks like a nice way to spend the weekend

I know that place I have a relative living in Temecula and few times we visited the lake, no fishing just walking at the shore.

[Bill B]

It was a fun weekend, weather was cool and sunny, and the fish were willing.  Give it a month or so, and probably not as nice, due to the algae bloom and smell.  Elsinore is about 30 minutes from me and free to fish, but when the weather warms, I will probably head to Lake Perris instead, closer but have to pay to get in, just to get some clean water.   Too bad the Salton Sea is in such bad shape, it used to have a good Corvina population but not any more.  Tilapia were pretty thick, but not sure anymore.  In the summer the stink from dead fish was overwhelming.  But my buddy at Lake Arrowhead is now talking about fishing for catfish up there when the trout head for deep water.....Hmmmm tough choices    Bill

[Gfish]

Fished Paris lake back in the late 70's once. "Charlies Blood Bait" squeezed onto the hook and lofted out on 4lb. test. Fishin on the dam in June, we got some a those channel cats. Good lookin, seemingly healthy fish.

[MarkT]

Now there's Diamond Valley Lake further south of Perris. Unlike Perris where they put a dam across the mouth of a valley and filled it in, with DVR they created two big dams at each end of valley running between some hills and then filled it in. DVR is east of I-215, basically due east of Lake Elsinore.

[HOLEINTHEWATER]

WHEN I CARP FISH I CHUM WITH CORN AND FISH WITH IT.  BUDDY AND I WERE BASS  FISHING AT LAKE POWELL  HE HOOKED INTO A HUGE CARP.

[Swami805]

My mother in law lives in the canyon lake community down that way. When we're driving by we see that corona lake. I guess they dump a bunch of fish in it and you pay to fish. I've seen pictures of these huge hybrid trout out of there. Anyone ever fish there? Was thinking of taking the grandkids there next time they visit her. I realize it's fish in a barrel but the kids might like it. Any thoughts?

[Bill B]

I've fished Corona Lake a couple times, not exactly fish in a barrel, you do have to work for them.  They stock a variety of fish, trout and sturgeon come to mind.   But it's strictly catch and keep, no release is authorized.  It's a fairly dep Lake and the boat ramp is extremely narrow and will test your launching skills.  There is a boat rental available if memory serves me right.  Myself I'd rather go fish a regular Lake and take my chances, maybe it's just the principle.  I did feel pretty good targeting a species of fish and catching some.  JMO...Bill

[Shark Hunter]

WHEN I CARP FISH I CHUM WITH CORN AND FISH WITH IT.  BUDDY AND I WERE BASS  FISHING AT LAKE POWELL  HE HOOKED INTO A HUGE CARP.

You need to rename the title to Big Carp Broke Line and never saw color.

[Tiddlerbasher]

Or rename the vid to 'Crap'

[Keta]

Buglemouth Bass are fighters.