Mystic Lake

[pitdog]

Has anyone been out near Mystic Lake? Is it filling up? I would guess with all the rain the lake would once again come to life.

If I remember correctly, the last time it filled, some said it drew a lot of ducks away from the refuge. I don’t know if that has any truth. I would think it would attract more ducks to the area.

Just wondering.

 

[Socal Waterfowler]

Pitdog, Mystic has some water in it but not very much. We need the river bank to break again so the water will flow into it and create the lake. When we did have water in it last it served as a closed zone for the ducks and geese. Some people complained when Mystic was there saying that the birds would not leave but now they complain when there aren't any birds, so to some people its a lose lose situation. Personally if we get Mystic again then the hunting around San J. will pick up as the birds will have a place to rest.

 

[mouthcallinmatt1]

Originally posted by Socal Waterfowler@Jan 10 2005, 12:04 PM
We need the river bank to break again so the water will flow into it and create the lake.

 

[outdoorplay]

PITDOG,

What are you doing This Wednesday? I am going back.

mike

 

[pitdog]

Mike,
I have a morning meeting, but thanks for the invite.

 

[huntducks]

Mystic will have water when and if they start dumping it out of Lake Hemet it flows right down SJ river into Mystic, just look for water in the river bed at bridge street.

 

[outdoorplay]

Originally posted by pitdog@Jan 10 2005, 01:12 PM
Mike,
I have a morning meeting, but thanks for the invite.

I will be going the weekend of the 22 if you can make it. If not maybe ESS would like to?

Let me know a few friends already know that I am going and it’s first come first serve. Lit me know I know we will have a hell of a time

Mike

 

[pitdog]

I'm in!!!

 

[outdoorplay]

Originally posted by pitdog@Jan 10 2005, 02:22 PM
I'm in!!!

Ok I am going to leave Thursday night, so I can watch the birds. What day are coming?
Would like to stay at my duck camp?

Call me when you have a minuet. I will be down in Cypress tonight.

Mike

 

[ronk]

If I'm not mistaken, San Jac ownes Mystic now. They bought it a 2-3 years ago when there was no water. If that is true I think they will have a few blinds out there if there is water in it. This would not make it a closed zone anymore. It is a big enough area that you could through a few blinds out around the perimeter and still have a safe zone in the middle for the ducks to rest.

Ron

 

[Socal Waterfowler]

Ron your right. When they had blinds out there they were at the North end of the Lake, but I believe that they didn't own the whole lake at the time. They would have to seconalize it some how so guys wouldn't crowd eachother, not that it makes a difference cause most people don't pay attention anyway.

If it ever does fill back up it would be nice if they split the lake and hunted the north end for a couple weeks and then hunted the south the next few weeks. It would sure push the birds around.

I would love for that thing to fill back up, it was so much better when it was around.

How's San Francisco bud?

 

[ronk]

It's OK. Cold and windy. Class is boring but we are getting out at 1500hrs each day. I am going to try to make the fred hall fishing show tomorrow. Its about 25 miles away. I have been talking to some guys up here to try to hook us up with some rice field hunts........ no luck no one in class is a duck hunter.

Its been killing me not to get onto Jesses. They have one public computer in the hotel for everyone. Waited for 1 1/2 hrs to get on. Luckily they had free wine 10ft from the line. Made the time go by quicker.. . Just makes it a little harder to type after a few glasses.....ha ha ha . Be back Thurs.
Ron

 

[Chessie]

SoCal and Ron, as you know the first year SJWA opened Mystic to blinds they had 5 along the North end. Hay bales with blind material wrapped around them. The next year Mystic had receded so much only 3 where used. I hunted it then. Two words...Spoony Heaven. After the other 2 blinds left I walked the entire North end to get the birds flying for the guys in the inner area. Hope you guys where there that day, I did it about 5 times, everytime the birds would come back, get settled I'd do it again, 5-10 minutes later I'd hear shooting. If Mystic fills up again I hope someone else does the same.

By the way, please don't flame me for being out of my blind site, I was hunting with a now retired DFG employee and he said it was a-okay.

 

[Socal Waterfowler]

Matt I'm going to report you to Ross. Oh wait that's who you were hunting with.

We need more rain so the bank will break, bring on the rain.

 

[wrhinehart]

Matt;

Your prayer has been answered.

As I speak, it is estimated that almost 100,000 gallons per minute are flowing into Mystic Lake.

The levy that forms the drainage over Bridge Street breached yesterday.


The road between the parking lot at Pond 4 and Walker 1 is under 2 feet of water.


Access on Davis Road to the check station in good if you take it easy and stay in the middle of the road. Don't go to the sides because you'll get stuck.

Tomorrow, everyone will hunt out of the check station.

The road to Ramona and Walker is OUT!

I will NOT be there...bummer

Bill

 

[mouthcallinmatt1]

Originally posted by Socal Waterfowler@Jan 11 2005, 06:05 PM
If it ever does fill back up it would be nice if they split the lake and hunted the north end for a couple weeks and then hunted the south the next few weeks. It would sure push the birds around.

No need to split it. Even with the SJ blinds, and 10 other spots around the lake filled with hunters...the birds still rafted up in the middle. On the slow days the only thing other than a good wind to get them moving was John Hayden or Ross out there sculling.

When Mystic filled up the first time that's when I stopped hunting SJ and started hunting Mystic. I had access to put a boat on the lake and hunted it from various locations. Sometimes it was incredible and other times it flat out sucked. A lot has changed since then in regards to who owns what now and if SJ has control over it then I'm betting the access will be minimal at best. I hope I'm wrong though.

Assuming SJ controls everything on and around the water I think they should make it a free roam situation with access to launch a boat. They could build those same crappy blinds if they want to but if they truly want to offer a GOOD opportunity out there then that isn't the way to do it. Some of the best spots are nowhere near SJ and if the only access is through SJ then a boat is a must.

Time will tell.

 

[Limited Out]

Correct me if I'm wrong

but I think the years that Mystic has been full the refuge has generally shot better. San Jac turned in some pretty good numbers the years Mystic has been full, the way I remember it.

 

[Chessie]

Limited, I would say from my experience being there that when Mystic was full SJWA shot the same. Remember #'s can be deceiving. There may have been a 2.5 avg. posted but only 60 hunters using the refuge, add another 20 hunters and your avg. is now 1.875. As with most places, the fewer the hunters, the more productive areas get shot more, higher avg. From my experience I have seen a significant increase of hunter use at SJWA. Just my 2 cents.

 

[mouthcallinmatt1]

Hunting on SJ ended at noon then too.

 

[Chessie]

Matt good point. Also, when you hunted Mystic I don't believe SJWA owned it, guys where able to freelance out there. They only bought it recently (someone correct me if I'm wrong). The had blinds out there for 2 seasons.