Lower Otay Lake Fishing Report

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.

Lower Otay’s excellent summer bass fishing has rolled into fall. Anglers are catching quality fish up to 5 pounds on reaction baits in the mornings and jigs or dropshots in the afternoons. The topwater bite has been strong too, especially in the evenings on walking baits. Bluegill are still plentiful, though the cooling weather may slow the bite in the coming weeks. Catfish are hitting well in the evenings on cut bait and chicken livers.