With 16 shopping days left until Christmas, I guess it’s not too early (or too late) to consider a purchase you’re going to have to make anyway. January 1 is right around the corner and that’s when you’ll need that 2010 fishing license.

With Diamond Valley opening up, even if it’s a rip and the best bite will be for stripers in January and February, you’re still going to want to go. In fact, you don’t even have to drive to Wal-mart or the DFG office to buy your license this year, they’ve got ‘em on-line. (more…)

MONDAY EVENING UPDATE–Rainfall totals in Riverside County from 1400 to about 2000 feet elevation had in the neighborhood of .98 to 1.25 inches of rain. A decent start of a season, with more on the way, according to the forecasts. Perfect weather for a benefit tournament….

SUNDAY NIGHT–Forecast to hit well before dawn in SoCal, the cold front is not as wet as it is cold, but if it brings snow to the San Bernardino Mountains, there should be a nice rise at DVL to go with it.

All rains in the high ground that don’t drain into the mountain lakes or tributaries, of course, should produce run-off that finds the Inland Feeder. As much water as came into Diamond Valley over the spritzing we got a few weeks back, (MWD claimed about 10 vertical feet)  you would have to think this week’s double storm set would provide an even greater boost. (more…)

The Royal Air Force, Britain’s RAF, will be parachuting as a training exercise onto Lake Elsinore Monday, Dec. 7 (Pearl Harbor Day) and again the following day, forcing a partial closure of the lake, the city just announced.

Fortunately, the bass aren’t exactly ripping things up right now, so you can make other plans. And the portion of the lake they are using, much of the flats on the west side of the lake, have been particularly dead. (more…)

Since the one thing that won’t be trickling down the recently completed Inland Feeder is truth serum, it’s somewhat difficult to figure out exactly what the Metropolitan Water District is conjuring by its latest press release announcing the reopening of Diamond Valley Lake.

I almost coughed up my double cheese when I read the words (more…)

For a first shot, or even a first shot after a tournament and a week of permit-holder payback, Diamond Valley’s Dec. 20 public reopening has everyone fired up.

While not quite a “first kiss,” getting back on the water after half a year or so, and the guys I’m talking to would probably pay double for the chance–at least if the cold weather doesn’t settle in.

The good news, while there has been almost no measurable rainfall thus far, the temperatures have been mild. The people who speculate on such matters are telling me (more…)