All these lagoons…

[Jussdone805]

It’s 930am and I’m currently on The Surfliner, heading to Santa Barbara, and I’m seeing all these juicy looking lagoons along the way that I don’t get to see if I’m driving. Not too many posts on here about the lagoons north of Mission Bay. Looks like I need to get out of my normal territory and start casting away. It’s hard to find info on whether fishing is allowed in them. Hope everyone had a merry Christmas!

[JWall]

As you should! In years past I have fished the San Dieguito River, Batiquitos, Agua Hedionda, and Buena Vista for various fresh and saltwater species. More recent development has restricted access but there are definitely fishies in there.

[monstahfish]

Hedionda is open for fishing but had a massive fish kill with the big red tide a few years ago. It's making a comeback but it's significantly slower than it used to be. Batiquitos and San Diguito I think you are only allowed to fish west of the coast highway. Man would I love to get my kayak into Batiquitos. With that clear water and all those shallow spots, I'd bet I could sight cast a fly at some croakers in the shallows.

[JWall]

On Buena Vista there used to be a trail down to the south side of the farthest west part. You could catch small bass for hours on anything with a bit of flash. Rooster tails were the best. Did see a guy land about an 8 pounder there once. The feeder into the east end of Batiquitos from the golf course was loaded with healthy bass that would wash in from the La Costs course. Used to tube it all the time and pitching worms was deadly. Targeted halibuts after catching live smelt in the San Dieguito River near the fairgrounds. Its all about access now.

[Jussdone805]

Yea it’s definitely about finding access to these places, which I have very little knowledge of and don’t want any angry Karen’s ruining my day! @JWall I have plenty of rooster tails since I do a lot of eastern sierra trout fishing. I just need to suck it up and get out to these lagoons. My experience with spotties is they will devour fresh mussels pulled straight from the rocks, those things are like crack to them!

[JWall]

Funny semi-related Karen story…I lived up there and had heard all about the stocked golf course lakes on La Costa. Rumor was the mob stocked them for patrons back in the day. So a buddy and I waited til about an hour before dark and the course to clear of golfers. We accessed along a creek between houses but were spotted by a homeowner. They yelled at us not to go there but we just blew by them and headed for the nearest lake. I literally got one cast in with a rattletrap and could see a golf cart coming. On the retrieve I hooked a stud of a bass that wasn’t giving an inch. As the Karen-alerted security guy approached, I noticed he was Japanese as at the time a Japanese corporation had just acquired La Costa from the mob (technically the Teamsters pension fund). Anyway he kept repeating in broken English “you cannot fish La Costa!” I looked at him like what do you want me to do, I’m hooked up!! I finally landed about a 6lb beauty, looked at him like C’Mon?? He just kept repeating in his accent “you cannot fish La Costa!” My buddy who never even got off a cast and I tucked tail and left, laughing all the way home and still today whenever that story comes up.

[Carpkiller]

I used to fish Agua Hedionda's outer lagoon. Shore fishing is legal.
If the lagoon's being dredged (happens every few years, don't know if it'll happen this year), it stirs up the food and the bite can be insane for sargo and spotfin croaker and other species. Emphasis on "can be." It can also suck.
I have also caught a few opaleye, various perch and a small cabezon fishing from the riprap along the inlet. And surf perch from the beach as well.
Now for the small print.
Be advised that lagoons are technically inland waterways, which mean only one rod (or two with a second-rod stamp). It's such a confusing rule that the DFG didn't care...but there was a Carlsbad city code enforcement officer who was all over you if you used multiple rods. Apparently the city gets a cut of the DFG fines. I do not know the current state of affairs for the middle and inner lagoons (except that the Carlsbad City Website says it's legal to fish in the outer lagoon).
Of course, I can't find the pics of the croakers...but here's a little lagoon sargo and a fat opaleye from the inlet...