FISHING
Lake Nacimiento is the only lake in California stocked with white bass. Anglers also find just about every other native warm water fish in the lake — largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, and crappie, carp and catfish. The state record carp was caught in Lake Nacimiento back in 1968. Twisting inlets punctuate the 165-mile shoreline providing lots of quiet places for fishermen to cast their lines.
Anglers seeking white bass do the best in the spring and fall. The white bass favor the main channel of Lake Nacimiento between the marina and Bee Rock, the narrows, Oak Shores, Town Creek, and Las Tablas Creek. They are found all the way up the Nacimiento River channel. Black bass congregate around brush, rocks, and off the points. Catfish are found most often in shallow areas of the lake, often at the heads of coves. Many fishermen go after them in Los Tablas, just south of the resort. Prolific bluegills are caught nearly everywhere on the lake along the shores, especially in the inlets. Crappie hide where there is cover, often in Dip Creek, Las Tablas, Snake Creek, and Cantinas Creek.
Which Baits and Lures Are Catching Fish at Lake Nacimiento?
White Bass: Kastmasters, Roostertails, Storm Chug Bug, Luhr Jensen Crippled Herring, Rebel Pop-Rs, Zara Puppies
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass: Shad imitations, Plastic Worms, Topwater Lures, Senko, Crankbaits, Spinnerbaits
Catfish: Nightcrawlers, Minnows, Chicken Livers, Anchovies
Crappie: Minnows
Bluegill: Meal Worms, Nightcrawlers
Lake Records
White Bass: 4 pounds, 2 ounces
Largemouth Bass: 9 pounds, 14 ounces
Smallmouth Bass: 4 pounds, 10 ounces
Channel Catfish: 20 pounds, 2 ounces
Spotted Bass: 5 pounds, 3 ounces, caught in 1994
Crappie: 3 pounds, 8 ounces
Bluegill: 1 pounds, 12 ounces
Carp: 52 pounds, a California state record, caught by Lee Bryant in 1968
Fishing supplies and licenses may be obtained at our General Store
Resident Sport Fishing 365: $58.58
One-day Sport Fishing: $19.18
Two-day Sport Fishing: $29.42
2023 Free Fishing Days are Saturday, July 1 and Saturday, September 2
Quagga & Zebra Mussel Prevention Program:
Mandatory vessel screening and/or inspection prior to launching. All vessels must be CLEAN, DRAIN and DRY and must complete a Vessel Screening Permit prior to launch. Vessels that have been on an infested lakes within the past 30 days and/or fail to arrive in a CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY condition will be required to undergo a full inspection. No vessel will be allowed to launch that have been on infested lakes within the past 10 days or fails inspection.
All vessels and watercraft are subject to a Quagga Mussel Inspection prior to launch. Your vessel must be clean, drained, dry and plug out for the mandatory inspection. Failure to comply with the inspection process can result in fines up to $2000.
If your vessel has been on a mussel infested body of water within thirty (30) days of your arrival, you will be PROHIBITED to launch. Infested Lakes are as follows:
Anaheim Lake, Angeles Tunnel, Black and Gold Golf Course Pond, Cahuilla, Castaic, Coachella Canal, Colorado River, Copper Basin, Dixon, El Capitan, Elderberry Forebay, Havasu, Imperial Dam, Irvine, Jennings, Kraemer Basin, Lake Forest, Lower Otay Lakes, Matthews, Mead, Miramar, Mojave, Murray, Olivehain Reservoir, Parker, Pipeline in Lakeside, Piru, Piru Creek, Poway, Pyramid, Ramona, Rattlesnake Reservoir, Ridgemark Golf Course Pump, San Justo, San Vicente, Shadow, Skinner, Sweetwater, and Walnut Canyon Reservoir.