T
here is this little lake
that is located just
outside of Temecula,
Calif. that is a bass factory. Lake Skinner may
not be a household name in
the bass community; but the
lake has been quietly pro-
viding anglers in Southern
California an opportunity
to experience some truly
amazing bass fishing.
Located approximately
60-miles north of San
Diego and 90-miles south
of Los Angeles, Lake
Skinner provides a much
needed escape from the
highly pressured lakes
around the southland.
While the lake is a favorite
among anglers targeting
striped bass, on any
given weekend it is not
uncommon to be the only
bass boat out on the water.
Lake Skinner is hush-
hush amongst many local
anglers. The lake is located in
Riverside County, nestled in
the Temecula wine country.
Lake Skinner serves as a major
water storage for Riverside and
neighboring counties.
Created in 1973, the lake
has approximately 1400 surface
acres of water. which makes it tiny in
comparison to nearby Diamond
Valley Lake, which is the largest
lake in Southern California. The lake
is operated by the Metropolitan
Water District and the lake’s water is
supplied by the Colorado River through
the Colorado River Aqueduct and the
State Water Project. The lake feeds
a major filtration plant, which in turn
supplies water to much of Southern
California.
SPRING 2017
Lake Skinner features
many popular recreational
activities such as camping and
nature trails, however, bass
fishing is undoubtedly one of
the lake’s biggest attractions.
The lake is very low key among
the bass community largely
due to the lake’s 10 MPH speed
restrictions for boats. Lake
Skinner is a drop the tolling motor
and start fishing kind of lake.
Lake Skinner is home to
striped bass, largemouth bass,
carp, and bluegill. The lake’s bluegill
population is legendary and
routinely produces fish in the two-
pound range. The lake also stocks
catfish in the summer and trout
during the winter.
The trout plants make Lake
Skinner a sleeper swimbait lake.
The lake is largely overlooked by
all but the most diehard swimbait
fishermen; because no one talks
about the swimbait bite or trout
plants.
In fact, I am sure that I may
get some death threats for
even writing this article as
the swimbait bite at Skinner
can be outstanding for both
largemouth and stripers,
especially after a trout plant.
There are routinely stripers caught from the lake in the 20- to 40-pound range.
New visitors to Skinner will find a
fairly clear, shallow water lake that
is lined with tules, wood and other
cover.
BABY CLEAR LAKE
“Lake Skinner is about 20 minutes from my house,” said Ranger Boats pro Tony Lain. “Last year I spent a lot of time on the lake when Diamond Valley closed due
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