Lake Cuyamaca
San Diego County Bass, Trout, Crappie, Catfish, Sturgeon

Lake Cuyamaca Fishing Overview

Water Description

Positioned on the eastern side of the Cuyamaca Mountains, Lake Cuyamaca boasts a diverse fishery for anglers... including bass, trout, catfish, crappie, bluegill, and even sturgeon. In the early summer, the lake is especially known for its bass and crappie fishing. Abundant large bass and daily crappie limits are common. The lake's record for largemouth bass stands at a substantial 14 pounds, 3 ounces. Come winter, exceptional trout fishing emerges — a rarity in the region. Thanks to Cuyamaca's elevation, the water maintains a cooler...

Positioned on the eastern side of the Cuyamaca Mountains, Lake Cuyamaca boasts a diverse fishery for anglers... including bass, trout, catfish, crappie, bluegill, and even sturgeon.

In the early summer, the lake is especially known for its bass and crappie fishing. Abundant large bass and daily crappie limits are common. The lake's record for largemouth bass stands at a substantial 14 pounds, 3 ounces.

Come winter, exceptional trout fishing emerges — a rarity in the region. Thanks to Cuyamaca's elevation, the water maintains a cooler temperature for a longer duration, allowing trout to be stocked throughout the year. This distinction makes it the sole lake in San Diego County with year-round trout stocking. And some of these trout grow impressively large, with the lake record for rainbow trout being a remarkable 17.5 pounds.

During the summer and fall, anglers can anticipate a steady catfish bite. Interestingly, sturgeon were stocked in the lake back in the 90s. Every so often, these ancient behemoths surprise trout and catfish anglers with an unexpected bite.

Species:
Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, White Sturgeon
Stocked Date:
Trout stocked 2 weeks ago - View Schedule
Trophy Fish:
  • Largemouth Bass: 14.18 lb (1996)
  • Rainbow Trout: 17.5 lb (2015)
  • Sturgeon: 62 in (2014)
  • Channel Catfish: 28.31 lb (1998)
  • Black Crappie: 2.5 lb
Boating / Access:
No wake. Stay within buoys. No fishing from pedal boats. All boats must be inspected before launched.
Geography:
Surface Area: 111 acres
Surface Elevation: 4,612 ft
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Latest Fishing Reports

Rainbow Trout
49°F Stained

With water temps dropping at Cuyamaca, trout are the main target for anglers right now. That said, trout fishing has been hit or miss since the last stock in mid-November. The stained water clarity is making it harder for fish to locate lures and bait, so anything that grabs their attention is key. Garlic-scented PowerBait and scent-added floated...

With water temps dropping at Cuyamaca, trout are the main target for anglers right now. That said, trout fishing has been hit or miss since the last stock in mid-November. The stained water clarity is making it harder for fish to locate lures and bait, so anything that grabs their attention is key. Garlic-scented PowerBait and scent-added floated nightcrawlers have been improving bite rates. Mid-afternoon, especially on sunny days, has been most productive.

8 anglers found this report useful
Good Rainbow Trout bite
Rainbow Trout, Bass, Carp, Bullhead
Stained

Trout stockings have started at Cuyamaca, with CDFW adding fish last week. Expect more stockings over the coming months. With poor water clarity, Powerbait or gold spinners are your best options. Before the stock, a few quality holdover trout were caught, but most action was on Carp and Bullhead. Bass bite remains slow.

6 anglers found this report useful

Latest Stockings

Trout CDFW
Trout CDFW
Trout

Other Nearby Reports

Water temps are pushing into the high 60s, and most bass have moved into post-spawn, but the bite hasn’t let up. Fish are scattered throughout the water column, from shallow...

Trout fishing is wide open at Hemet. Shore anglers are scoring consistently with PowerBait and nightcrawlers, while those working spoons, minijigs, or pink trout worms on a...

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