Lower Otay Lake Fishing Report

Bass fishing at Lower Otay has been very good as post-spawn patterns take hold. Water temps are sitting in the low to mid 70s, and bass are feeding up across the lake. Finesse is doing the heavy lifting… drop shots, power shots, and free rigs are all producing, especially with smaller soft plastics like leeches and Roboworms in natural or muted colors. Bites are often coming on the fall, and multiple fish are being caught from the same stretches, signaling tight schools of bass holding in key areas. Crawfish are clearly part of the forage right now too, and baits that mimic them are getting bit.

Topwater is starting to pick up, but it’s still hit-or-miss. Plenty of followers, but they often won’t fully commit. Still, early morning blowups are happening, particularly around shallow tulies and structure. Black Choppos and feathered poppers are working well.

With tournament pressure on the lake, the bite requires more methodical work to unlock the active zones. Expect finesse to keep producing, with topwater continuing to improve as temps rise.

Lower Otay bass action is excellent right now, with spring conditions in full swing and water temps sitting comfortably in the high 60s. Bass have moved shallow, holding around brush, tulles, and structure near the banks, though a few are still hanging back on secondary points. Creature baits and beavers flipped into the brush are pulling consistent bites, but the best action has been on chatterbaits and squarebills worked tight to shallow cover, especially productive in the late morning. And don’t overlook finesse tactics... the dropshot bite has been excellent for both numbers and quality.

Anglers are having big days, with many reporting 30-40 fish outings, mostly in the 1-3 pound range (although a few fish in the teens have been reported already this year). Just be prepared for the crowds, plus the grass and algae are thick, especially in the shallow zones.

The bass bite at Lower Otay has been fair to good, even with a slight algae bloom and cooling water temps. Shad remains the primary food source right now, so targeting baitfish schools with flukes, underspins, or A-rigs is a good bet. Topwater action is tapering off but still worth a shot if you catch some surface activity. Other bass are transitioning deeper—working jigs or plastic worms in 20-30 feet has been good for numbers, though these fish tend to run smaller than the shad chasers.