ED ZIERALSKI / Union-Tribune
George Healey of Escondido fishes from a float tube near the dam at Lake Barrett.
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When Lake Barrett reopened in midsummer of 1994 after being closed for 25 years, it went from a poacher's den to a bass-buster's version of fisherman's paradise.
Fishermen reported catching and releasing more than 100 bass a day, with some stretching fish tales to more than 200 of the Northern-strain largemouths that are said to be more aggressive than the bigger, imported Florida-strain hybrids that sowbelly up in other California lakes.
Drought and overfishing of forage fish led to a collapse of the lake's fishery a few years after Barrett reopened. Corrections were made on regulations, and now all fish – not just bass, as in the past – must be released. No bait is permitted. Credit former city lakes manager Jim Brown, former fisheries biologist Larry Bottroff and former Barrett reservoir keeper Bill Basom for seeing the need for more bait fish such as threadfin shad and silversides.
Water hasn't been an issue for five years, according to reservoir keeper Laurie Miller. Repairs on the lake's outlet conduit will enable the city to release water downstream, but now the water remains high, covering some of Barrett's incredible structure.
Bass are back to busting shad and silversides again, and if you find the right spot in Pine Creek Arm or Hauser Arm, good numbers of bass still can be caught.
When Brown and Basom – with a nudge from Rep. Duncan Hunter – reopened Barrett in 1994, access was by lottery only. That changed to reservations only through Ticketmaster, still the only way to get into the lake. At the time the lake was reopened, Brown said it never would have happened without Basom agreeing to do the extra work needed for a fishing program at remote Barrett. Basom retired in June, and now Miller has adopted the terrific work ethic of her mentor. She is confident the city will keep this treasure open to the public despite rumors to the contrary.
Barrett remains a unique fishing experience, limited to 25 rental boats, each carrying a maximum of four anglers. Many enter as part of a four-angler party but split off with their float tubes or kayaks and have good success along the shore.
Others fish from a rental boat they convert to a more modern fishing machine with fish finders, trolling motors and so much tackle it takes three or four trips to tote it all to the boat.
Today's Barrett bass look healthy and fat. It might never be as good as it once was, but it's still a special, memorable fishing experience, and there's no better example of today's conservation-minded anglers.
This is the ninth is a Saturday series on San Diego County's lakes. Next week: Lower Otay. For previous stories and a map of area lakes, go to uniontrib.com/sports/outdoors
