Fishing in Palm Desert/Palm Springs Area?

MartinD · Post by **MartinD** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:41 am

I’ll be down in Palm Desert area next week and was looking to find some places to fish. If anyone knows of any places to check out, please let me know.
Thanks, Martin D

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 1:01 pm

Put that Fishing Rod in your Golf Bag and hit those course ponds in between shots !!

toddmc · Post by **toddmc** » Thu Nov 13, 2025 10:00 pm

Most of our Coachella Valley courses have lakes with northern strain bass that are agressive. You can’t fish many places during the day because you get in the way of the golf. I have fished about 50 of the 100 plus courses in the area and maybe 150 golf lakes total over the last 45 years. A few of my buddies that fish the various bass tours and team tournaments that I have fished over the years come out and fish a few of my regular productive golf course lakes. I’m generally out about 1-2 nights a week for a few hours to do the etch a sketch to my brain after a long day at work. Send me a pm if you have a course that you have access to and I might be able to let you know how it fishes or if it has fish. Most lakes that have vegetation have bass. Water movement and vegetation are the key.

MartinD · Post by **MartinD** » Sat Nov 15, 2025 1:58 pm

We stay at the JW Marriott. Seen Bass in the main pond that runs in the lobby but figured they wouldn’t let me fish. Lol.
Is there any courses you recommend to fish that I won’t get booted off or any that allow access?

toddmc · Post by **toddmc** » Sat Nov 15, 2025 5:41 pm

You can’t fish at the Marriott. There are good fish there though. I fished the lakes away from the lobby last year and we didn’t get bit for bass. They supposedly have catfish. You must be able to get in to another course or hop a fence. Most everything is gated now. I wish that there was more access for you.

toddmc · Post by **toddmc** » Sat Nov 15, 2025 6:39 pm

Desert Falls across the street from the Marriott had good bass when I worked there as a golf pro in the 90s. I fished it about a decade ago and there wasn’t a ton of fish left.
Desert Willow across the street from you may have bass and it is Palm Desert’s public course. I think it is not gated. It has a lot of lakes, but I have only seen bluegill when I have played golf there. The lakes look good though. They have grass. Check them out on Google earth.