Lake Morena County Park, a camping park operated by San Diego County Parks and Recreation, has the additional attraction of offering fishing and boating.
Go directly to our weekly fishing report for Lake Morena.
Lake Morena
Surrounded by thousands of acres of chaparral-covered hills, huge old oak trees, and large rock formations, Lake Morena County Park is the most distant and remote reservoir within the county. Take I-8 east to Buckman Springs Road, head south 4 miles to Oak Drive, then west 3 miles to Lake Morena Dr. and the park entrance. Fishing, boating, sailboarding, and hiking can be enjoyed all year, seven days a week, 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.
Rental boats are available seven days a week and all holidays. On weekends, motorboats are available for $40.00 a day and rowboats are $20.00 a day. Monday through Friday (except holidays), motorboats are $20 a day and rowboats are $10 a day. You may provide your own motor on a rowboat. Boat & Rental Fees for Senior/Disabled: Full day motorboat on weekends is $27.50, on weekdays $7.50; full day rowboat weekends is $16, weekdays $6.00. You must provide your own motor.
Private boats can launch seven days a week during park hours. The lake use fee for private boats (motorboats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, sailboards) is $6.00 per day. Our boat ramp will accommodate vessels up to 18 feet long. Watch for submerged rocks! The speed limit of 10 miles per hour applies to all boats, therefore no waterskiing is allowed. Swimming is not permitted. An annual lake-use permit for motorized watercraft is available for $75. The annual lake-use permit for non-motorized watercraft is $55.
Fishing in the spring and summer for bass (record largemouth bass is 19 lbs. 3 oz.), crappie, bluegill, and catfish (record catfish is 31 lbs. 7 oz.) and in the fall and winter for trout (record rainbow is 12 lbs. 12 oz.). Between November and February we plant thousands of pounds of rainbow and German brown trout, providing hours of enjoyment for fishermen of all ages.
Fishing fees are as follows:
| | Weekends | Weekdays (Monday through Friday, except holidays) |
| Adults (16 and over) | $5.00 | $3.50 |
| Juniors (8 through 15) | $2.50 | $1.50 |
| Children (7 and under) | free | free |
| Seniors (62 and older) and disabled | $3.50 | $2.00 |
Note: A California Sport Fishing License is required for all anglers 16 years and older (under Section 7145a of the Fish and Game Code).
An information line, 619-478-5473, is changed daily with fishing and camping updates.
Weekly Report for Lake Morena
June 13 - June 20, 2009
Trout: Trout fishing has slowed down. Some people are still catching small ones.
Bass: Bass fishing is slow, but people are catching them. Live crawdads seem the ticket for the largemouth. Not a lot of people with limits; two keepers is a good day.
Bluegill: Slow, with the gillies small, about palm size, but no big ones.
Crappie: Slow. Small ones are showing up but no limits.
Catfish: They're baaaack! Cats were showing up all over the lake, and they put on some pounds over the winter. Mackerel, night crawlers, and livers all produced the whiskered ones. Please return all baby blue cats! Less than 5 lbs. is a baby. We stocked these so they can get larger and possibly spawn at Lake Morena.
Note: No open flames are allowed during Red Flag warnings. See this page for latest updates.
Boat launch conditions: Not recommended for anything over 19 feet.
Boat rentals are available seven days a week and holidays.
As of January 1, 2009, new weekday discounts on boat rentals and fishing permits apply. New fishing fees.
Be sure to bring your catch in to the ranger station to weigh and record your fish on our new hanging scale. This helps park staff keep track of the fish population and you may also get your name in the local paper! The maximum creel limit for trout, bass, or catfish is five fish per person. Limits for crappie and bluegill are 25 per angler. There is no “catch and release” of trout. Bass must be at least 12 inches long to keep.
The lake is open daily for fishing and boating. Park hours for fishing and day use are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. No swimming at Lake Morena County Park. Motorboats and rowboats are available seven days a week. Motorboats rent for $40 on weekends, $20 weekdays except holidays; rowboats are $20 weekends, $10 during the week. You may provide your own motor on a rowboat. Our boat ramp will accommodate vessels up to 18 feet long. Watch out for submerged rocks!
For daily fishing updates, call Lake Morena's recorded fishing line at (619) 478-5473. A California Sport Fishing License (not sold at the park) is required for all anglers 16 years and older (under Section 7145a of the Fish and Game Code), in addition to the lake's daily fishing permit, which is available at the ranger station.
If you are planning to camp with us in the near future, be sure to make your reservations early. Our toll free reservation number, 1-877-565-3600 (858-565-3600 local), is answered Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The folks at the reservation desk would be glad to help you. Our on-line reservation system allows you to make camping reservations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Go to this page to get started.
South Shore Campground: Reservations are required for camping at the main campground of the South Shore. This campground offers partial hookup sites (water and electric), as well as several developed sites. The main restroom offers hot showers and flush toilets, and is handicapped accessible.
The dump station is currently closed. Please use the Buckman Springs rest area.
North Shore Primitive Campground: This campground is closed until further notice because of the lake’s low water level.
