Trout: Trout season begins in early December.

Bass: Slow -- biting on Kreature baits off submerged points, also on crank bait and worms.

Bluegill: Good on pieces of night crawler and wax/red/meal worms.

Crappie: Slow.

Catfish: Very good, lots of channel cat being caught on chicken liver, mackerel, and worms. The area below the cabins is still productive. John from Jacumba caught an 8 lb. channel cat casting a Phoebe. Gary Carmel and Don Wright of Lake Morena caught a stringer of 9 at about 2.5 lb. each, with worms near the dam. Devin Connell of Lake Morena caught a 3 lb. cat with chicken liver near Horseshoe Cove. Tommy Bossard of Jacumba caught one 5 lb. 10 oz. on mackerel near Cabin Cove. Steve Martin of El Cajon had a stringer of 5 on chicken liver near the dam. Larry Rogers of El Cajon had a stringer of 5 on chicken liver also near the dam.

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 Wednesdays through Sundays and all holidays.

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 for rent Wednesdays through Sundays. Motorboats rent for $35, rowboats for $15. 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.