Because of drought conditions , Lake Cuyamaca's water level had fallen leaving most of the south end of the lake high and dry. Lake personnel decided to take advantage of the low water conditions and build artificial structures and fish habitats in key areas of the exposed lake bed. Rock piles were placed along main lake channels and fish habitats designed to encourage fish spawning and foraging were built. Lake personnel documented all the structures and habitats by marking them on a map of the south end of the lake along with GPS coordinates for each of the sites. This map would later be used to mark the sites with buoys, once the lake water level returned to normal. Lake customers could then use these reference buoys marking productive fishing areas.

Once the project in the south end was completed, a decision was made to make a map documenting the most productive fishing areas on the entire lake. It would include GPS coordinates to each area along with photographs and narratives. The map was then incorporated into Lake Cuyamaca's website under the title of GPS Fishing Guide. As a result of the fine efforts of our lake personnel, Lake Cuyamaca now has the distinction of being the first San Diego County lake to have a complete, GPS Fishing Guide on it's website.

The lake is now full and we hope our customers will soon be catching the big fish using this great innovation.

All content, written materials, graphics and photographs © 1998 - 2007 by Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District. All rights reserved.