Fished Escondido on July 21 and got on the water around 7:30 AM and left around 7PM with a lunch break from 12-1 and a “heat” break from 4-5.

Conditions:

Water temp: 83-86

Air temp: 73-too hot

Water clarity: 1 ft

Sky: clear

Wind: 5-10 with some very nice gusts (made it bearable)

property conditions: 

Lots of weeds and lily pads on the east end

down 4-5 ft (exposed more standing timber

No water in the restroom

Personal boat launch point: with the lake down 4-5 ft, the best area to launch is on the far right (away from the dam) as the gravel bed extends farther into the water

Now for the report: The morning was great as I caught 10 (culled at right at 15”) with the largest being 5-8. It was caught along the dam near the pavilion on a hula-popper. On my first cast with the popper, I caught a 4-2 and missed a couple before I got the 5-8. The top-water bit stopped fairly quickly and I tried again after lunch to see if there was a “noon” top-water bit (there was not). I then switch to using these baits:

Chatter bait

Senko with spinner tail

Shallow diving square-billed crank (several colors)

Rattle trap

The shallow diving square-billed crank in green tomato provide very successful as I caught several in the 4 # range running through the standing timber (thanks to Power Pro 30# braid). I ended the morning feeling good. 

When I returned to the water around 1PM, I am not sure what happened, but the bite completely shut-down. I only caught one on a senko (green) with a keel weighted hook. I tried, but could not buy a bite.

I tried:

Senko (June bug)

Paddle tail (chart.)

Other colors of square-billed cranks baits