Dusty Britches” here along with “Cuss Cussler”, “Silent Sam”, and welcome back “The South African Queen”. More varieties of fish are starting to come out of the pond this week. “Crappie John” came up on his 65th birthday to do some fishing around the boat dock area…… and to his surprise, the crappie jigs did their magic. John usually walks away with his limit of crappie in an hour or two. This trip provided him with 5 beauties up to 1.5 pounds. He said, that’s it. It’s not going to get any better than this and called it a day. He also scored a Lake Cuyamaca jacket for his birthday. John is a frequent flyer who has always supported the Lake. On another note…..and another day, Ranger Jay Blaylock with his girlfriend Sarah in one boat, “Desert Ironwoods Bob” in his boat, and Randy Jones with Mike Long fishing from the shore were able to catch and release over 100 Florida strain largemouth bass of different sizes…… and Cuong Tran of San Diego was able to bring in an 11 pound Florida strain largemouth bass at the corner spot between Chamber’s Park and the Dike using a pink and green trout teaser……If there is any doubt, check out the accompanying picture, and you are welcome to speak with any of the folks above. When our anglers catch anything that is notable, they are encouraged to come back to the bait and tackle shop to have a picture taken and write their information in our book describing the fish they caught, their sizes, and the anglers information…. which is reflected in these articles. It is easy, sometimes, to second guess the truth. The trout plant from Mt. Lassen is still producing some nice sized eelers. Benjaman Werderman of El Cajon caught his limit using power bait worms netting him 16 pounds 8 ounces of fish with the largest coming in at 8 pounds 8 ounces; Curt Hughes of San Diego only caught 4 fish, but the stringer weighed in at 23 pounds with the largest trout tipping the scales at 13 pounds along with 5,3,and 2 pound fish on the stringer using green power bait at Lone Pine; Steven Perez of Coachella using a “Dezert Baitz” black w/red flaked crappie cavoy jig on 2 lb. test line nabbed a 12 pound 4 ounce “bow”; Vern Barney of San Diego brought out a limit of fish with a total weight of 23 pounds with the largest coming in at 12 pounds 8 ounces using pink gunk at Lone Pine; Sung Sulik of San Diego popped a 10 pounder with chartreuse power bait; and Gary Hall of Jamul only caught 3 fish, but his largest rainbow weighed in at 10 pounds using rainbow power bait at Lone Pine. The weather has cooled off for the weekend with a spritz of rain….we need more of this but the predictions are leaning toward warmer, dryer days ahead. D. Russell Black and the DFW will be conducting a creel census at the Lake starting on the 28th of the month and continuing through May collecting, measuring, weighing, and tagging, then releasing different species of fish here at the old pond. So if you see a funny looking boat out on the water with what looks like a couple of up-side-down umbrella frames hanging off the bow of their boat….that’s who it is and what they are doing. It is a difficult time of year for my yellow labs. They are shedding and I don’t know whether to get them a haircut or try to brush it out……respect for their dignity tells me to spare the clippers and use the brush. I’ll choose a day with a stiff wind…….

“Tight Lines and Bent Rods”……..”Dusty Britches”.