The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is stocking five San Diego County lakes with catchable trout this week.
The lakes scheduled to be stocked with hatchery trout between January 5 and 11 are the following:
- Chollas Park Lake, a youth fishing lake in San Diego
- Lake Jennings in the Lakeside area (Complete Lake Jennings fishing guide)
- Lake Miramar in San Diego (Complete Lake Miramar fishing guide)
- Lake Murray in San Diego (Complete Lake Murray fishing guide)
- Lake Wohlford in Escondido (Complete Lake Wohlford fishing guide)
These plantings are among the first of 2025, although these lakes were also stocked before the holidays.
Hatchery trout are relatively easy to catch.
Fishing with bait, including PowerBait, nightcrawlers and other offerings, is easy and effective. It’s also very popular.
Casting and retrieving lures such as spinners and spoons will also prompt quick strikes from these aggressive fish.
Serious anglers often turn to fly fishing. Even though these fish were raised on a diet of commercial fish foods, rainbows don’t lose their instincts for eating insects.
For more tips on catching trout, be sure to check out our simple guide to trout fishing techniques.
Because trout are easy to catch, they tend to get caught out fairly fast. For best results, try to plan your day at the lake within the first week (or two) after the stocking truck makes its delivery.
Besides the links to more detailed fishing articles in the list above, read our rundown featuring all of San Diego County’s best fishing lakes.