Lake Mission Viejo
Encyclopedia
Lake Mission Viejo is a reservoir
entirely within Mission Viejo
, in Orange County
in the U.S. state
of California
. About 5 miles (8 km) south of Santiago Peak
, a peak in the Santa Ana Mountains
, the reservoir is formed by an earthfill dam across the canyon of Oso Creek
, which is part of the Trabuco Creek
and San Juan Creek
drainage basin. The lake is not fed by urban runoff, it is maintained so as to be safe for contact. Two man-made beaches are located on the north and east ends of the lake. The lake is annually stocked with fish.
Located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, the lake is surrounded primarily by private residential (single-family and condominium) communities, which makes access to the lake more difficult to the public. The primary marina
is located in the northwesternmost arm of the reservoir. Upstream of Lake Mission Viejo is Upper Oso Reservoir, which spills downstream and into Mission Viejo in wet years.
, barbecue
s and picnic areas, snack bars and fishing
areas.
courts, a full basketball
court, and a club house available to rent. All of the administration buildings are located at Playa del Norte. Almost all rentals and boat launching is located at Playa del Norte. Playa del Norte is open all year round. Food services are provided by Tony's at Lake Mission Viejo during the summer season as well as the catering of all concerts and events at the lake.
, also called cercarial dermatitis appear. It is a microscopic pest that lives on hosts like birds and snails by biting into their skin. Once it bites a human, it dies but leaves an irritated area or bump like a mosquito bite. The itching will be gone as well as the bump in a few days. Swimmer's itch can be prevented by showering thoroughly after swimming.
, each outfitted with scuba gear, first aid, oxygen therapy, and equipment for patient immobilization, with one 17’ Boston Whaler Dive boat for the SCUBA team, and a lifeguard pickup truck. The lifeguard department is commanded by a lifeguard captain, four lifeguard officers, three part time supervisors, and BBB.
Electric outboard motor and batteries are also available to rent.
. Some of the fish inhabiting the lake are Bass
, Catfish
, Trout
, and Sunfish
, such as Bluegill
and Black Crappie. Trout are restocked annually during the winter time as they rarely survive the warm summers. You are allowed to fish from rental fishing boats, registered private boats, and in the designated fishing areas. You are not allowed to fish in the swimming area. Although catch & release fishing is encouraged, all trout caught, up to a daily bag limit of 4, must be kept and not released back into the lake.
. It is the biggest bass legally caught in the state - and perhaps country - this year and ranks 13th largest all-time nationwide. The fish measured 28 inches long with a 26-inch girth.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
entirely within Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo is a city located in southern Orange County, California, U.S. in the Saddleback Valley. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States, and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in its size...
, in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. About 5 miles (8 km) south of Santiago Peak
Santiago Peak
Santiago Peak is the southern mountain of Orange County's Saddleback formation. It is the highest and most prominent peak of both the Santa Ana Mountains and Orange County, and also marks a border point with Riverside County. The top of it is covered with many microwave and telecommunication antennas...
, a peak in the Santa Ana Mountains
Santa Ana Mountains
The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 36 mi southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.- Geography :The range starts in the...
, the reservoir is formed by an earthfill dam across the canyon of Oso Creek
Oso Creek
Oso Creek is an approximately tributary of Trabuco Creek in southern Orange County in the U.S. state of California. Draining about in a region north of the San Joaquin Hills and south of the Santa Ana Mountains, the creek is Trabuco Creek's largest tributary, and is part of the San Juan Creek...
, which is part of the Trabuco Creek
Trabuco Creek
Trabuco Creek is a small river in the U.S. state of California, flowing from the westernmost extreme of Riverside County through Orange County to join San Juan Creek in the city of San Juan Capistrano. long, its watershed covers in southeastern Orange County, including portions of three...
and San Juan Creek
San Juan Creek
San Juan Creek, also called the San Juan River, is a stream in Orange County, California that consists of a catchment basin encompassing . Its mainstem rises in the Santa Ana Mountains, in the Trabuco Ranger District of the Cleveland National Forest...
drainage basin. The lake is not fed by urban runoff, it is maintained so as to be safe for contact. Two man-made beaches are located on the north and east ends of the lake. The lake is annually stocked with fish.
Located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, the lake is surrounded primarily by private residential (single-family and condominium) communities, which makes access to the lake more difficult to the public. The primary marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
is located in the northwesternmost arm of the reservoir. Upstream of Lake Mission Viejo is Upper Oso Reservoir, which spills downstream and into Mission Viejo in wet years.
Beaches
There are two main beaches, Playa del Norte and Playa del Este, with a few smaller, private beaches. The larger beaches are both protected by the Lake Mission Viejo Lifeguards. Both beaches contain playgrounds, horseshoe pitsHorseshoes
Horseshoes is an outdoor game played between two people using four horseshoes and two throwing targets set in a sandbox area. The game is played by the players alternating turns tossing horseshoes at stakes in the ground, which are traditionally placed 40 feet apart...
, barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
s and picnic areas, snack bars and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
areas.
Playa del Norte (or North Beach)
More commonly referred to as North Beach, Playa del Norte is the largest beach at Lake Mission Viejo. It contains the largest sandy beach area, volleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
courts, a full basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
court, and a club house available to rent. All of the administration buildings are located at Playa del Norte. Almost all rentals and boat launching is located at Playa del Norte. Playa del Norte is open all year round. Food services are provided by Tony's at Lake Mission Viejo during the summer season as well as the catering of all concerts and events at the lake.
Playa del Este (Or East Beach)
More commonly referred to as East Beach, Playa del Este is the second largest beach at Lake Mission Viejo. It contains a basketball half court and has Kayaks and Pedal Boats available for rent. Playa del Este is open daily during summer and on weekends during the fall and spring. East Beach also has a snack bar operated by Tony's at Lake Mission Viejo that is open during the summer season.Swimmer's Itch
During spring and some times of the summer, swimmer's itchSwimmer's itch
Swimmer’s itch, also known as lake itch, duck itch, cercarial dermatitis, and Schistosome cercarial dermatitis, is a short-term, immune reaction occurring in the skin of humans that have been infected by water-borne schistosomatidae...
, also called cercarial dermatitis appear. It is a microscopic pest that lives on hosts like birds and snails by biting into their skin. Once it bites a human, it dies but leaves an irritated area or bump like a mosquito bite. The itching will be gone as well as the bump in a few days. Swimmer's itch can be prevented by showering thoroughly after swimming.
Lifeguards
Both Playa del Norte and Playa del Este are watched over by the Lake Mission Viejo Lifeguards. The lifeguard headquarters is located at Playa del Norte. There are three lifeguard towers on Playa Del Norte, with one floating tower outside the swim area. Playa Del Este has two lifeguard towers with one floating tower. There is a staff of approximately 50 lifeguards in the summer season, and approximately 25 in the off-season. Lake Mission Viejo lifeguards have three 17' Boston Whaler'sBoston Whaler
Boston Whaler is a boat company that builds foam filled fiberglass boats. Boston whaler was founded in 1958 by Richard T Fisher, and is still in business today.-History of the Design:...
, each outfitted with scuba gear, first aid, oxygen therapy, and equipment for patient immobilization, with one 17’ Boston Whaler Dive boat for the SCUBA team, and a lifeguard pickup truck. The lifeguard department is commanded by a lifeguard captain, four lifeguard officers, three part time supervisors, and BBB.
Boating
Lake Mission Viejo has a wide range of boats available to rent at Playa del Norte. The boats available to rent include:- Single & double Kayaks
- 2 Seat Pedal Boats
- 4 Seat Pedal Boats
- 15’ Row Boats
- 15’ Electric Boats
- 14' Sailboat/Capri Sailboats
- Party Boats
Electric outboard motor and batteries are also available to rent.
Fishing
Lake Mission Viejo is home to many fishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. Some of the fish inhabiting the lake are Bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
, Catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, Trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
, and Sunfish
Centrarchidae
The sunfishes are a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. The type genus is Centrarchus . The family's 27 species includes many fishes familiar to North Americans, including the rock bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and crappies...
, such as Bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
and Black Crappie. Trout are restocked annually during the winter time as they rarely survive the warm summers. You are allowed to fish from rental fishing boats, registered private boats, and in the designated fishing areas. You are not allowed to fish in the swimming area. Although catch & release fishing is encouraged, all trout caught, up to a daily bag limit of 4, must be kept and not released back into the lake.
Fishing Events
Every winter 100 tagged trout are released into the lake. When one is caught, take the tag off and bring it to the front desk with the weight of the fish. A wide range of prizes are available from bait to rods.Fishing Records
April 1, 2006, George Coniglio caught a 19 lbs 12 oz largemouth bassLargemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
. It is the biggest bass legally caught in the state - and perhaps country - this year and ranks 13th largest all-time nationwide. The fish measured 28 inches long with a 26-inch girth.