By Paul Lebowitz

The Johnson and White families were soaking up the last rays of a relaxing Veteran’s Day weekend spent at the fine campground at Lake Jennings County Park. While their pack of happy kids raced their bikes through the campground or scurried around hunting rocks and lizards, Jeff Johnson and Barry White were drinking in the expansive view from their campsite perched high above the east San Diego County lake. Down below, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, redear sunfish, and stocked rainbow trout swam in the 160 acres of blue water that shimmered in the sun. Behind the lake, tawny brown hills dotted with the occasional house gave way to mountains. Johnson gestured at the peaceful scene, and said, “It’s rustic enough to get that country feel.”

The backcountry feeling at Lake Jennings is a bit of a surprise to most first-time visitors. When they pull off busy Interstate 8 between El Cajon and Alpine and drive past the businesses and homes that lead right up to the front gate, a peaceful outdoor retreat is probably the last thing they expect.

But here’s the secret. The lake is nestled between brushy hillsides that block out nearly any sight or sound of nearby suburbia.

As for the campground, it sits atop one of the highest of the hills. Most of the 96 campsites look down on the lake, or sit beneath pleasant green trees. Managed by the San Diego County Parks and Recreation Department, it is as nice as any public campground in the state. At Jennings, a peaceful evening is rarely interrupted by the drone of generator; most of the sites have full or partial utility hook-ups. There’s plenty of elbow-room too, and a great mix of pull-through and back-in sites. Tent campers aren’t slighted; they get some of the most scenic spots to themselves. There are three well maintained restrooms with hot showers, a brand new playground for the kids, a pit for those who like to pitch shoes, and nearby hiking trails.

That far-away feeling right up close to town is a special quality, one that had brought the Johnsons to the lake. A family that enjoys camping all around the state, they don’t always have time for the long drive to the Sierras or other more remote spots. Besides, their kids play in youth sports leagues most weekends. Sticking so close to home means they can run to the soccer game and then get right back to relaxing in the great outdoors. “It’s an easy way to camp with kids,” said Johnson.

Nearby, White was gathering up fishing gear and rounding up his kids for the short hike down to the lake shore. What were they after, trout, cats, or panfish? White laughed, and said, “We target enjoying the outdoors. Catching a fish is a bonus.”

Speaking of a bonus, Lake Jennings offers a rare treat for campers. How does legally fishing a closed lake sound?

Lake Jennings is open to anyone Friday through Sunday. The rest of the time the campers have about 2,500 feet of exclusive shoreline all to themselves, and that includes the lake’s prime bass spot for shore-bound anglers. According to Supervising Ranger Hugh Marx, the steep drop-off on the west side of Sentry Point is also a solid place for catfish and trout. Don’t forget to buy your fishing permit, available from the campground staff.

The Improving Fishery at Lake Jennings
Marx was brought in less than two years ago by the Helix Water District to oversee and improve the fishery. Like any other drinking water reservoir, Jennings is short on structure and aquatic vegetation. What’s great for the water district’s treatment plant is bad news for the forage fish and other critters at the bottom of the food pyramid. They get gobbled up quickly, leading to a smaller population of bigger, harder to catch fish.

Marx wants every angler to feel that all-important tug on the line, so he and his staff are working hard to increase the lake’s productivity.

Since the lake can be a difficult one to fish, Marx and his staff encourage anglers to stop by and ask about the latest conditions and hottest fishing spots. Said Marx, “Ask what’s biting best, what bait, what spot, and what time of day.Get as much information as possible. The more you do your homework, the better you’ll do.” A good place to start learning how to catch Jennings’ fish is by attending Marx’s free Sunday fishing class, or by picking up some of the lake’s rigging tip sheets at the newly remodeled tackle and bait shop.

Also new, the Jennings rental fleet is stocked with spacious and stable J16 Carolina Skiffs. You can get one with an outboard, or drop in your own electric trolling motor for a serviceable bass boat. Private boats may be launched at the lake’s paved ramp, but canoes, kayaks, and float tubes are prohibited at this drinking water reservoir.   

Lake Jennings’ trout season kicked off in October with 1,200 pounds from the Whitewater Trout Company. Marx said another 1,200 pounds will go in every Friday between now and mid-April, for a season total of about 26,000 pounds.

Unlike most lakes, Jennings stocks during public hours, so come by and bring the kids. Some of Marx’s favorite trout spots are Hermit Cove, Eagle Point, the west side of Sentry Point, and Cloister Cove south of the launch ramp and boat dock. Typical light-line trout techniques account for most of the catch, on Powerbait or inflated nightcrawlers. Don’t forget to drop a bait to the bottom in these areas, the catfish like them too. 

Channel catfish are a mainstay at Jennings, which offers night fishing from June through August. In mid-November the lake still had a terrific catfish population. “We stocked all summer but it didn’t get good until September,” said Marx.

Tom Harman and his friend Lance Masi agree catfishing is good this fall. “We’ve come nine weekends straight and only failed to catch a limit of catfish once. Last week we each got a four-pounder,” said Harman, who baits cats with a one inch chunk of mackerel or scad on a sliding sinker rig with a 10 to 12-inch leader.

Catfish anglers fishing from boats shouldn’t overlook the buoy line. Hang onto those rods. Besides their smaller cousins, big blue cats patrol the bottom. The lake record, caught by Rick Guseman in 2004, went a drag-busting 68 pounds. Better break out the saltwater tackle for a shot at landing one of these beasts.

The largemouth bass at Jennings get pretty big too. Big bass expert Mike Long reeled in a 17-pound beauty earlier this year. Now that trout are in the lake, bass chasers are chucking magnum-sized swimbaits in hopes of that one big strike. Come springtime when the bass are spawning, the action will be hot in the shallows. Bass anglers should keep something else in mind. According to Marx, due to the shortage of structure at Jennings the bass often suspend in deep water. Few bass anglers find them.

LAKE JENNINGS CAT – Catfish are a mainstay at Lake Jennings. In addition to channel cats like this one caught by Andy Chavira, big blue catfish lurk in the depths.

CAMPSITES WITH ‘THAT COUNTRY FEEL’ – The Lake Jennings County Park campground offers 96 spacious developed campsites, many with full or partial utility hook-ups and a beautiful view of the peaceful lake.

SKIFF IN STYLE – Lake Jennings boasts a rental fleet of new J16 Carolina Skiffs. Opt for a gas outboard, or bring your own electric trolling motor to make it into a serviceable bass boat.

TROUT TIME - Jonathan Bates (10) shows off a ¾ pound rainbow taken on his secret blend of marshmallows and chartreuse Powerbait. His trout is typical of the fish stocked at Jennings. The season started in October with a plant of 1,200-pounds from Whitewater Trout Company. The stocking truck will return every Friday until mid-April.

PEACEFUL OUTDOOR RETREAT – Lake Jennings in nestled in the hills in San Diego’s East County just off Interstate 8 in Lakeside. The lake’s 160 maximum surface acres are home to channel and blue catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, and stocked trout.

FISH PRODUCTION ZONE – Like many drinking water reservoirs, Lake Jennings is short on structure. New Supervising Ranger Hugh Marx and his staff are working hard to improve the productivity of the fishery by adding artificial fish havens such as old pipes and drums, trenches and mounds, and even this snow fencing.