Eastman

[bavnuts88]

I initially put this in the Southwest forum on accident



I have a really dumb but Im pretty sure true question/story.

I grew up in Madera and fished this lake when it was reopened in the 90's or whenever it was. I remember a story in a newspaper or something about Eastman.
It said thet the wildlife/conservation people where out on Eastman checking the health o the fish. They used eclectrical shock or something to stun the fish so they can study them. Now, this is the hard to believe, but perhaps believeable part. I remember a big deal that they found a 25lb+ largie in there, of course being a world record lurking around in Eastman. If anybody has any info or memory of this, please let me know. Or maybe the article.

I dont remember exactly where I heard it, but I remember everybody in Madera talking aboot it. I probably just dreamt it.

Daniel

[Matt Moreau]

I dont remember hearing anything about that, but it is possible anywhere they stock trout. It will be interesting to hear what people have to say about this.

[bavnuts88]

I could have swore I read it in the newspaper, I just dont remember which one. I remember at least one 7+ pounder per week coming out of that lake, so I think it might be possible.

[fishsmith]

That was going around 3-4 yrs. ago. DFG supposedly shocked up a 25? If they did you would hope the would take a picture, and record length+ girth for verification. It's possible there is a record swiming there along with alot of other CA lakes.

[bavnuts88]

At least Im not the only one. I wonder why Eastman seems to put out more hogs that Hensley?

[fishsmith]

Eastman was closed due to hydrilla for years then opened to a trophy lake ( one/fish 22in + ) and only a portion of the lake open to fishing. They both recieve trout plants, and I think eastman gets more pressure. Maybe more harvest of fish at Hensley? Good question!

[Josh]

There are no big fish in eastman! you have to go to another lake to catch big fish ssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

[basstamer]

OK I have a theory on this that I have maintained since all the BS went down up there-here it is. I fished this lake BEFORE they closed ANY portion of it and it was heaven on earth. I caught my largest bass ever here off the bank.One day in October (same day I caught my personal best of 9.5 lbs) my dad and caught 60+ lbs for 8 fish all of the bank. Ok I am drifting offthe point here-sorry . So anyways here comes all these stories of "weeds","eagles","beavers","drug gardens with armed gaurds up in the river"-you name it and that story was going around. Ok we'll start with the "weeds"-EVERYBODY that fished Eastman fished Hensley-why then did Eastman have weeds and not Hensley????? Eagles-Go to Hensley right now today (I saw the pair on Sunday so I know they are still there) and as you enter the river channel look up on the left side in the tallest pine and there are a pair of Eagles. Hmmmm now that is ruled out too. Beavers-WHO CARES! We fish with Beavers everywhere else! Anyways you see my point-NONE of the stories made sense. So YEARS later they open the lake to bank fishing only.Now any of us that went up there saw the melee....it was like fishing at a trout pond! ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you threw out you caught a 5 or a 6 or a 10lb bass! I saw a pregnant lady that was due to pop anyday sitting on a five gallon bucket using a Zebco closed face reel and a beetle spin catch and the keep an 11 lber! People were walking along the bank with stringers of HUGE fish....Why???? Here is my theory. I believe that these "folks" decided there were these "killer" weeds here and attempted to kill them off and in doing so killed all the fish off....they then waited several years and PLANTED yes I said PLANTED all these whoppers. Seriously if you didnt see all these big fish being caught you wouldnt believe it-it lasted about 2 weekends and they were gone as fast as they were there. I say they planted all these big fish that were farm/pen raised then thrown in the lake ready to eat anything and everything....they stayed on this feeding frenzy till they were thinned out. I mean people were PISSED when we would catch a 6-7 lber and put it back! Could I be wrong sure I could-do I think I am right? Sure do! If you disagree then just explain ONE part that I have always disputed with myself....if these werent planted fish then why would they go so nuts and eat EVERYTHING-JUST LIKE TROUT IN A TROUT POND! We all know Bass are oppurtunistic but we also know they arent stupid! We spend 10's of thousand of dollars each to catch them so if they were stupid and that easy to catch we would all constantly have 100lb stringers. I know this seems far-fetched but if you could have seen it as I know some of you did...Inman,JT,Martin D???? Now this happened at Eastman and some of them survived the greedy people and have gotten smart and stayed in the lake. Hensley on the other hand-none of this so called theory happened there and neither have the big fish stories.There are nice fish @ Hensley-my personal best there is just over 8 lBS but the numbers arent there like @ Eastman. Anyways there you go-this is why I think the fish sizes in these lakes are so different. I'll listen to any theories on this but I believe this one till I hear different. One last thing is if you tried to talk to the Rangers up there at the time it was like asking a banker for the combination to the safe! Man these guys were tight lipped about everything and had nothing to say about anything! Oh well its back open now but I sure do miss going up in the "Closed Zone"/River area! Tight Lines boys!
Scott

[markscolwell]

I think every lake that has big fish has these rumors floating around. When I lived in Del Rio Tx (Lake Amistad) we had similar type rumor going around. "The fish and game department shocked up a 25+ lbs largemouth and released it." Not to say it's not possible but I'm pretty sure if any agency shocked up a fish that large there would be some pic's!!

[markscolwell]

O'yea and don't forget about the 25+ lbs fish the old-timer caught and fried up for dinner before any one could weigh it!!

[fishsmith]

Rumor has it they will be opening the back end in August. Heard that before. The Kerman Bass club has had many talks with DFG, and Eastman Lake personel about the partial closure. We were told it was Eagles, Hydrilla ect. . First the Eagles were the southern most breeding pair..........until Success had a pair hatch an Eaglet. Then they were the most prolific breeding pair. Then they came off the endangered list. Same with the weeds, almost gone, found more, eradicated, found more. We talked to the rangers at a club meeting and they told us the company doing the survey found more Hydrilla. I asked them if it was the same people doing removing the weeds,and they said yes. There is the problem. I would tell them i found some too for a 120k a year contract. All in all still a good fishin hole.

[swimbait]

I electroshocked a 25 pounder in my bathtub once

Then I woke up.

[basstamer]

I LOVE both these lakes and I agree with Mark-that record is soon to fall at Eastman.
Scott

[FISHorDIE]

Oh man... opening day at eastman was wild, I'll never forget it! Nobody went home without being able to catch huge fish! Hey Basstamer I thought the fishing was so good just due to the long closer of the lake? Never thought about it that way but I guess you could be right.

[JT-Madera]

Mark wasn't it in 1988-89....I thought that was the first time I helped put those fish into the lake...if I remember there were only 5 boats that helped..it was two years after we planted those Christmas trees...

JT

[GITBIT]

It would sure be nice to see the river open up. Some weekends the lake fishes very small. How far up the river can you navigate a boat? Let us know if that August date can be verified. The bite up there should explode soon. I think I am already feeling sick for Friday. Anyone else?

Mike

[Fast 492]

I am going to Las Vegas for the Race this weekend, I thought about stopping at Eastman to do some float tubing. Any suggestions about where to try when I get there....

[JT-Madera]

You are correct as usual Mark..I wasn't in the club then..I stand corrected..

I hope they never open the river..it makes a nice nursery and I am sure the bass filter into the main lake...it would be nice if they opened it up to the point going into the river...someone needs to have roasted eagle or cut down that tree they nest in..

JT

[ronwolf]

yeah fast not sure if you have fished here before but its small enough that you could float the whole lake in a day. well maybe not that small but you can catch fish just about anywhere there. gl

[fishsmith]

if you are going to float it i would go to the overnight side, and go south. The humps are marked (orange bouy's). Fish shold be up, and agressive. Good luck.

[Fish Chris]

I hear that Eastman is a great lake.

But "IF" there is a 25 lb'er alive and swimming anywhere on the planet right now, it's in Lk. Dixon..... Not Eastman.

Fish

[bassindon69]

Yea, and there are cat fish at the dam that were so big it made divers not want to go back down LOL!!! Funny how the same ol story's are still being told.

Don

[fishfarm]

Last week I was up at Eastman and a bass guy told the ranger their were boats in the closed zone, the ranger walks down to the ramp as I was getting ready to load my boat and asks me for a ride to go check on it. Sure enough, not 1 but 3 boats back there. 2 were bass boats and not one ticket issued, and this happens everyday. So to think the closed zone does not get fished is just wishful thinking. Everyone the ranger approached used some bogus excuse that they thought the no boats buoys were 5 MPH. Please! This portion of the lake has been closed for many years. If their are no penalties, might as well open the entire lake.

[basstamer]

That is retarded! What is to keep EVERYONE from going up there then? I woulda been ticked if I took him up there and back for basically nothing-did he have a reason he didnt issue thm citations? I could see if it if it was like one boat and only an idiot would raise a fuss but letting 3 boats "off" is really crazy! Its all about respect for the law-I dont agree with the closed zone,I DO want to fish up there BUT its Closed and going in there is wrong-period! I am not trying to say I have never broken the law (a bit heavy footed I am!) but I guess my $ is worth more to me than that!
Scott

[basstamer]

these guys do this-it takes cahounes that I dont have or maybe I just respect the fact that its closed. Dont get me wrong I WANT to go up there and have considered doing so several times but I would be the guy caught,ticketed and made a mockery of in public-With my luck I would be the guy they decided to make an example of!
Scott

[fishfarm]

Mark, he did tell me the fine was $175.00. What gets me is that the ranger is not able to get a bassman to take him back to closed zone on a regular basis, so probably many days it goes unchecked. I would volunteer to take him if he would be ticketing

[Fish Chris]

Yes Don, but what's "really funny" is that their are people out there who believe those tall tales !

Personally speaking, I'd be embarrased to repeat them.

Peace,
Fish