The dusty drive down Warm Springs Canyon Road terminates at this duckweed-dotted reservoir. Fed by the Santa Ana River and its mountain tributaries, the water plunges to sudden depths at the shoreline.

The fish leaped and splashed in these flows as we practiced our casting. I sent many wigglers and mealworms to their doom, felt a few tugs, but no real bites. @Mattlovell, on the other hand, scored one small rainbow trout with his fancy metal lure.

Barely large enough to bite the lure, this pretty fish had to be mercifully dispatched. That's why barbless hooks only are required above the confluence of streams at Bear Creek. This little beauty will be honored as our First Catch and its every morsel savored.

A sunray beams from atop the pyramidal dam like an invitation from a UFO.

You have to hike a bit closer from the parking spot on higher ground to get a line in. A sunflower points the way.

Last time we visited, this entire plain was submerged.

Willow trees decorate the shores.

Multiple flows are edged in cattails, sedge, teasels, and willow shrubs.

Floating Duckweed

Beautiful catkins

This Sedge plant makes edible groundnuts.

This water level tower looks like some kind of castle.

Here it is in black and white. It was built in 2000 to control 100-year floods.

Although the dam made conditions worse for local endangered species such as the Kangaroo Rat and Pupfish, the reservoir makes a sanctuary for all kinds of birds. We spotted ducks, cormorants, swifts, jays, and redwings.

Matt's lucky lure was soon stolen by one of the big trouts making a splash in the flow, so we put our First Catch in the cooler and headed back home. Tomorrow, we will try our hand at fishing the stocked Lake Gregory in Crestline.

Love,cat
@creationofcare

#SoCalSteemit is building and supporting the Steemit community of Southern California. If you are from SoCal and are into creating quality content here on Steemit, we'd love for you to follow us @SoCalSteemit and join our group on Discord!