Barrett Lake Fishing

Had a float tube ticket for Barrett on opening day. The water level is up, the fish were biting and I left at 1:30 with 36 bass. I know lots of people will gripe about only 36, but it was my personal best. No other lake in San Diego compares. At least in my opinion. Glad the lake is bouncing back again.

Had another good time fishing at big B. Even though the water level is crazy low me and my boy Vic still managed to pull out some good bass and good bluegill.

Went to the.big B for the last time of the season this year on the 21st. I got 21 bass. Lots of the old school Barrett heads would complain but I found it to be a blast. Times are changing, the water level is low and you ain't catching 20+ fish ANYWHERE else in San Diego county, so quit the griping and get to fishin!

213 bass caught and released by 4 guys in our float tubes,cold and windy but fishing was "off the hook" LOL

Sugget you open the lake for Fishing in October

Went to Barrett Lake on Sunday and it was a great day of fishing caught over 40 fish, a little warm but all said and done it was nice, First time going to the lake cant wait till next year to go again. No big fish all about 2lbs.

First time visitor after trying for a year to get a reservation. Perhaps the most beautiful lake in the County and full of fish. Fishing was a little slow but a 5lb bass on the first visit!

excellent had many bites. We caught 45 fish between 2 people . i would recommend to any one.

Three people in our party fished from 7am till 2pm. Fishing was tough. Only about 20 fish. Another boat left at 2 that had fished since 5 and only had 24. Bite was better as day went by. Forgot trolling motor battery so that cost me probably 10 additional fish. Only 14 out of 25 were rented. Dockmaster said had been really hot latey. Was pleasnat temp of us all day. Mostly drop shot fish.

We killed them... Between 3 of us we all landed between 20-30 fish. We left at 3:00pm but could have caught fish all day. Consistently in the 2-3 pound range with one big one that broke 10 lb test!

Best fishing in Southern California. Does'nt get any better.

Great fishing all day long, bigger fish to the left of the boat ramp in the tullies, used senko's and worms.

a great experience for my son and i. the fishing was steady and fun. i really like the setting. rural, undeveloped. beautiful lake setting with lots of scenic views, natural terrain, wildlife up close and in natural habitat. my son holds that day as one of our better times! i would highly recommend this event.

What can you say...best, most consistent fishing hole in San diego county...4 people in the boat, nearly 60 fish, and it was a slow day!

Although Lake Barrett fishing is still good, it is getting too expensive, especially with today's economy (IMHO). With admittance and day fees, the total for two fisherman is $120.00, plus handling fees. Aside from the price, we had a great time. Fishing this trip was a little slow (caught only 5 bass total - same as last year). 2 years ago we caught 21.

Was a Great place to fish. Plenty of structure and coves to catch bass. Double digit bass every trip. Got to see to believe.

I have fished Lake Barrett many times over the years--including twice this year. It has become a pretty ordinary lake. I have had 200-fish days on Barrett in years past. This year, on both trips, we got about a dozen fish each. All but one or two were under two pounds. I'm a reasonably competent angler. One of the guys who went with me is a world class bass fisherman. He didn't do any better than I did. Save your money. You could do as well at El Capitan or Otay.

one of the better days fishn'....my fishn' buddy hooked one the biggest BASS of his fishn' career, around 7 lbs....each of us caught over 20 bass a piece, that's the fish we got into the boat, we didn't count the ones that got off before we got them in the boat...it is nice to have a limited amount of boats in the water, nice and relaxn'....

No guarentee of catching fish but, I say definitely a sight to behold. With all the beauty that surrounds this lake, it is a bonus to catch what you are pursuing. This trip for me takes me back to my childhood fishing out of 'secret' farm ponds and attempting to develop a pattern to catch bass. Barrett lake is not a 'trophy' bass lake but it sure holds some fiesty Northern blackbass. I would go back in a heartbeat.

Boated 50+ fish by noon. not too bad, in my opinion

Good as usual for Barrett...too bad it wasn't the first week in May.

This was my third time going to lake Barrett. And all I can say is that me and my daughter had a great, great time. We caught over 50 bass and all in the 2 to 3 pound range. And one 5 pounder. Can't wait to do it again in June. Thank you to Jose at lake Barrett for his help. The staff there is wonderfull and friendly.

Fish Barrett at least 4-5 times a season, fishing is top notch, and the lake staff are great! Always friendly even at 5 in the morning.

I, usually, fish lakes in LA county and Riverside county. This lake in SD county is in good condition. Actually, staff working at this lake is wonderful!!! They are very friendly, cooperative, and being nice!!!

Had a great time fishing, had plenty of different structure. Fishing for everyone, from flipping to drop shot, this lake had it all. I started the day throwing top water and finished the day pitching a jig. Awesome!

Went to barrett excited I was going to smash 30 fish. I got 3 and my friend 1 fish I will go back again, I want an amazing day.

Went fishing at Barrett lake July 14th 2013. The lake apparently has been drawn down daily. I had been there once before and the lake was so low this time, I could not even take the boat to hot spots from last year. We could see some fish hitting shad but they would not bite for us on the surface. We only hooked up in about 8-10 feet of water near rocks or logs with watermelon/flake and green/cream Senko worms. Just five fish at 1pm. Other boats I saw had similar results. I think the changing water levels are really messing with the bass. Hopefully I can get out earlier next year!!

I buy this fishing trip for my son! This is our third year - the kid says, this is best darn lake the fish are pleniful and the lake is very beautiful - can't wait until next year!

Place is amazing. Morning bite was awesome we had a group of three and caught 35 in the 3-5lb range. We ended up with 40. 15 were broken off at the boat should have brought a net. Def. going back again soon.

Fishing was fine - however - had to "sort thru" four boats before finding one that ran and that one had a broken tiller and a broken prop guard. All the seat cushions are are gone also. So - premium dollars for poor boat condition.

The fish were not biting on Sunday. A few top water fish in the morning and then nothing for the rest of the day.

Great spot. Hate saying that cause then more people will flock to this spot. But being honest, it has to be one of the best spots in CA.

Barrett lake is the best lake in town and would recommend to anyone

Once again Barret was a great time. We didn't catch as many Bass as usual but we did catch plenty and I caught my biggest ever at 5 pounds 12 ounces. Everything worked from Spinner baits, crank baits, Senko's, IKA's, roboworms, jigs etc...

Dock workers said it was slow, on a boat with 4 people we caught over 60 fish, most in the 2 to 4lb range, some bigger, very few smaller. Caught fish on any bait used, (Used a few colors that never get bit on local lakes). Longest went without someone getting at least a bite was about 5 minuets. Lost a lot of bites by waiting too long to set hook, need to set immediately, should have had well over 100 fish for boat. Wonder what it is like when it is not slow. Lost one star for porta-potty, only found one and it was out of toilet paper. WILL BE SURE TO BRING OWN TOILET PAPER NEXT TIME. Had to cut the trip short.

A little difficult to find the place in the dark but once we finally got there we had a great time catching a ton of good-size fish. Spent 14 hours on the boat so bring plenty of sunscreen and water.

97.00 or so for tickets another 20.00 a piece to get in. Not as restricted as before. The ranger took off at about 11:00 a.m. to go to the Del Mar fair. Not sure if I could have just showed up and grabbed a boat. Even if you could it's not worth the heat, dirt and dust and o.k. fishing. Once a year I guess....As it;s such a pain in the ass....you either get bored from catching fish on a good day...or so pissed off that you went thru all that trouble just to catch a Crappie.

fantastic I would recommend that anyone who like to catch not just fish give it a go

This lake is a special place that hopefully will never change. We caught 70 bass and they were all nice size. Every time we fish Barrett we have a great time because it has every kind of structure you could think of from rocky points to lay downs to tulies. Just about anything you use will catch fish and when they hit they hit hard! Love this place!

Three of us caught so many bass between 8-11 that we left at noon.

Excellent bass fishing but a little bit hard to find the entrance.

Nice!! So~Nice! Very Nice! You must go Lake Barrett A.S.A.P.

Amazing fishery, beautiful scenery, will definitely be going back several times.

It was a slow day at Barrett which is a great day at any normal lake. We caught 52 large mouth bass. Normally we catch about 100. The top water action was awesome in the morning and then creature worms, flukes, jigs, and roboworms all killed it the rest of the day. Nothing huge but we did talk to a guy that caught a ten pounder that day. This lake kicks a**!!!

so - so it was ok fishing but nothing like all the reviews i read about, boat motor broke down had to row in to boat dock. They gave us another boat but took 2 hours to row in. I felt they should have gave us free passes to come back, but they did`t say anything. I`ve been there twice in june and still don`t know what to say but so-so. I caught 7 and my partner caught 7 and about 10 bluegill. We fished all day too.

We all had an Awesome time!!! It was well worth the $ :)

My boys (age 15 and 13) and I had a great trip. Caught over 90 bass, 25 bluegill and 15 crappie. Fished five different techniques. They bit the drop shot well, also hit the crankbait, kastmaster, senko and fly-lined plastics. Weather was great, but bring lots of water and sunscreen.

Wednesday june 15th first time going to lake with best friend. Boat rental we had was tank, and motor ran like crap. I could just about row faster then this boat could go full bore. My friend caught 10 and I caught 5 I caught the smallest and the biggest fish. i thought the fishing was ok, but not what everybody has said about the fishing. Would i go again yes, the view was off the hook. we stayed untill 2:00pm.

Sunday was raining and wind gusting up to 30MPH. AKA miserable conditions for fishing. Then again we caught 70 bass (down from 130 the previous week) and that is 10X as many as you will catch anywhere else. If not for the rain this trip would get 4 stars. As always, Barrett is the premier freshwater sportfishing destination in SoCal, and that's considering all the downsides (private lake, locked gates, crappy boats, no concessions on site, can't launch private vessels ect.)

Had a great time . Caught a ton of fish(117 bass). I think every fisherman should fish this lake at least one time. I would like to see the gate times be changed to 5am,6:30 am and 7:30.

Bite was good early, then slowed just a bit, then mid-day until the evening was steady. Weather conditions - showers, some moderate-to-gusty winds throughout the day. Numbers probably not as good as the first two weeks, but we managed to catch (stopped counting.....) about 60 + bass, some good size bluegill, and one nice crappie. Water looked to be down 3 - 4 feet (their puling water out), but water still flowing in from the creeks. Not sure about the water temp, but was actually pretty warm. Looks like the fish have spawned in some areas of the lake, others getting ready (?). Most fish in about 6 - 8 feet of water, off the shore in the trees/stickups. Lots of fish 1-3 pound range, nothing bigger that 3.5 pounds, maybe pushing 4. Plastic worms (greens, purple, brown), 4-6 inch. Couple of bumps on spinnerbaits & crankbaits but no fish. Overall a good session with consistent fishing throughout the day, all spots holding fish.

Picture is worth a thousand words. Great day on the water.

Two buddy's and I went to the big B last sunday the 31st, and as far as I'm concerned we killed it! I know there are seasoned Barrett fisherman who would scoff at a day with less than 50 fish each. I had the best day of my life, as far as numbers go, landing 27 bass, and losing at least 5 more at the side of the boat. My buds got 14 and 8, both of which were their best as well. Can't wait to get back again.. Well worth the money spent. Where else can you go in San Diego and catch this many fish? No where, that's right! On a great day anywhere else, maybe 6 fish. Try 27!!

Went out to Barrett for the fourth time this year took my buddy out there. His first time. Even though it was slow we still managed to catch 18 bass on crank baits and plastic worms. Had a great time.

Even though the numbers are down. Me and my buddy still managed to catch about 21 bass between the both of us. It was his first time going my fourth. But still managed to catch them. It was slow. Maybe it was the full moon the night before.

Bass finally showing on top and/or chasing bait balls. Light crowd, good action and a beautiful day.

We had another great day of fishing at Barrett Lake. Numbers were a little down as we only caught 35 between 3 of us. I guess I had more fun because I caught 21. Everything I threw worked, Spinner Baits, Senko's, IKA's, drop shot, BBH's, top water and more. I can't wait to go back

I have fished this lake for five years now. We used to start the day frogging in the reeds for bass and move to lures in the day and then hula poppers in the afternoon. But now the lake is so low that there is really only lower depth water fishing. All the reeds are 12 feet or more out of water and dead. Bass are small but plentiful. Not sure if it is worth the money and effort for the lake as it stands right now. Staff are very nice and helpful. This was the first time a park ranger stopped us to check for license and barb-less requirements. He was courteous and professional. I usually leave my wallet in the car because there is nothing to buy on the lake, make sure you do not make that mistake:(

Hands down one of the best lakes in San Diego. I came out for the first time to big B. Brought my daughter with me and had a blast. My daughter had never caught a bass before and we caught a total of 24the bass. I considered that a good day. We left at 1:30. All i can say is awesome. Great place to bass fish. Hopefully i can do this again and bring my other daughters.

Barrett Lake is always a blast. Great place to learn if you're just starting out like I was the first time I went. You really learn how to feel fish and set hooks, and the best part is you can practice with every type of bait you have and the fish will hit most of them. The best part about the lake is the top-water bite which anyone can agree is exciting. The price is a little on the high side but I think it's worth it. Just make sure to bring plenty of water. my buddy and I bring a full size cooler full of water and beer and a couple sandwiches. If you put it in the middle of the boat you can use it as a seat as well.

Had a great time at Lake Barrett! This was our second trip of the season. We didn't catch nearly the number of bass as other anglers normally do... just 13 between the two of us. But we had many bites, and a lot got away. We will go again but earlier in the season next year in hopes of even better luck!

was a great experience will do it again caught fish from 5:30 in the morning till 7:00pm when we had to leave.

Since all the Florida Bass were taken out of the lake, fishing is slow. there is an over population of shad this year and the bass are not biting. My opinion is to save your money and fish the local San Diego lakes. Barrett is not what it used to be. Very sad to say this, but my recent trip was not fun

All the big Florida Bass have been pulled out. Barrett is not the hot spot to catch fish anymore. Do not waste your money on the Ticketmaster lottery anymore. Ticketmaster is overcharging for a slow fishing day

I am not one for reviews (writing), but felt this would be good to share some quick notes. Lake is great, once you arrive. This was my first time and I had no idea what to expect. Pretty large body of water with lots of little coves that offer some great cover. Water was dirty and visibility may have only been 2 feet at the most. I am a wheelchair user, T6 paraplegic from a car accident in 1991 and use a manual wheelchair. Parking was fair with a hadi sign and everything. A short pretty steep dirt hill that leads to the dock, but all in all I would say that this is about 'accessible as you're going to get in a place like this. Once on the dock, they just let you choose a boat, load gear and go. I have just recently started bass fishing and thought that this trip would help build some confidence, but that was not the case. Not even one bite. Spoke to many other guys that all said it was very slow, like REALLY slow, especially for Barrett. Even still, being novice, perhaps my presentations are not good, maybe my colors are off. I was expecting a lot more and since then have heard some things about what Dept. of Fish and Game (or Wildlife, since they removed the word 'Game') is doing to the lake. Removing larger fish for transfer to other lakes, shocking, culling... Again I am new to this and loving it, but I just don't understand why Barrett has this lore, even still. They are pulling a slight of hand here and maybe doing some things to the lake that make the fishing much less exciting and what Barrett is known for, a sure thing. Legend says you could put a coffee can in the water and get a bite. This was not the case, or not my experience. Never the less, I will go back. In the water before the sun is up, pulling up at the spot with that heightened anticipation on this lake, with all its history, I feel is definitely worth a visit, if you have never been. I am sure there are other more experienced anglers that just kill it, but not me, not that day. I will be back, fish. Hear me now and believe me later, you will be caught (and released).

Float tuned Barrett lake on 5/12/18. Fishing was tuff but my son and I had a great time. Get out and go fishing bass are there!

Fished Barret on Wednesday 5/9/18 and the fishing was the worst I have seen it since I have been fishing there for the past 20 years. Save you money!

We had a great time fishing Lake Barrett.8 fish for two persons only fished until noon. Caught fish on weighted bluegill colored rostertail.We did not fish Sinkos but watched fisherman catching 5-6 fish each in a hour. Not red hot fishing but better than any other city lake. Bring a trolling motor and battery!!!!!

Overall we had a successful day on the water. The staff is always super nice and willing to help in any way. With that said the water level is so low it's sad. Some of the fish look sick and not very healthy.

A co-worker and I went fishing on Wednesday July 27th at Barrett Lake. We arrived at the front entrance to be greeted by Lori. Lovely lady who assisted us in the right direction to the lake. When we arrived, an older gentleman was fishing the docks. He assisted us in the boat rental and told us how to use the boat motor. He also gave us fishing tips for the lake . We headed out to the shoreline as directed and BAM, first cast, I was hooked up with a Bass. My friend and I landed 19 fish in a few hours. What a great day. Cant wait to go again to Barrett Lake

Love this lake. Consistent fishing, good weather or bad, high water or low. Bring #8 lb test, split shots and 3" white minnow on a #6 hook. You'll batch bass, big bluegill, maybe a crappie or catfish. Early or late is always best. Reliable boat motors. Good for beginning fishermen.

First time to Barrett; had a great time catching and releasing quality LM bass. Got most of them on 4" Senkos. Fishing was great, people were great, gonna go back as soon as I can make another reservation.

Barrett water levels are very low this season fishing is very tough, a lot of pressure from lots of fishermen in a smaller lake. Bass seem to be smaller this season and shad are spawning in the early a.m. but not for very long, my 2nd trip this season and I'll be back again. Hopefully Barrett gets filled up again and gets back to its Glory Days.

Old good days of catching 100 fish a day is gone. Waking up 1 am driving 2 and 1/2 hours one way is not worth. Early morning bites with shad busting is all you can get. Don't expect too much out of this lake. There is no cover what so ever. The water level is so low. All trees are out of water and the water dingy with muddy bottom.

Barrett is an awesome place to fish but due to the low water level they really should be letting less people in. Everyone fishes on top of each other. We still caught fish but it would help to limit the tickets even more during this drought.

Fished 9-24-14, last week Barrett is open for the season and bass fishing was very good on t-rigged plastics and there was a good top water bite early morning. However, the City of San Diego runs Barrett and needs to either replace or tune-up every outboard motor on the rental boats. Spent much time trying to find a boat that had an outboard that would easily start, idle and re-start. Other fisherman were having same problem and staff has to regularly tow stranded fisherman whose outboards won't start, or you're at the mercy of getting another fisherman in another boat to tow you in. Seriously considering not going next year if they don't do something about this. The outboards are never serviced or replaced. The city needs to do something about it. I still gave 4 stars for the fishing.

This lake is getting very low and since they are dropping the water so quickly the fish (bluegill) are dying off. The water was very stained and murky made the fishing difficult. High ticket prices for mediocre fishing make it not really worth it. Ended up with 20 by noon. Barrett is losing its legend of 100 fish days in my opinion, due to the water quantity and quality. Sorry to say I probably won't be back until we get some rain.

It was too much money for a day with a motor boat. Its unbelievable how primitive the lake road and landing were. It doesn't seem they have ever improved the entrance and parking to this place.

This week Barrett was 2 ft low and expected to be 10 ft low by the end of the month. This week you could still get 30 1-3 lb largemouth per rod with VERY careful drop shots among lots of elevated tree stumps and bottom weeds. With further lake level lowering, it's going to be harder.

The water is real low and the fishing has really changed since it is now 45 feet lower than four years ago. No reeds for flipping frogs and poppers, larger drop-offs make it harder to fish the bottom. Fishing has gone from great to just ok. Facilities (bathrooms) are very dirty and un-kept, no a good place to take your daughter to. For the money to get in and ticket it is no longer a value.