Helix owns and operates Lake Cuyamaca, Lake Jennings and portions of San Diego River Well Basin. Helix has storage rights in El Capitan Reservoir for water from Lake Cuyamaca, San Diego River Tributaries, and imported water.

LAKE JENNINGS: NEARBY FUN
Lake Jennings, located about five miles east of El Cajon in Lakeside, is a popular fishing and camping recreational facility. Helix built the lake in 1962 in conjunction with the water treatment facility across Lake Jennings Park Road, just one mile north of Highway 8.

The lake is stocked with trout almost every week from October through May and with catfish during the summer months. You can also pull out large-mouth bass, red-ear sunfish and bluegill, as well as channel and blue catfish.

The lake is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. Night fishing is available during the summer months. The lake is also open on most holidays.

Forget something? The Lake Jennings Bait & Tackle Shop sells bait, beverages and snacks. State fishing licenses must be purchased elsewhere. Motorboats, rowboats and pedal boats are available for rent, or try the fishing float or accommodating shoreline. There is a small fee for launching private boats.

The campground is operated by the District and is open year-round. Plenty of hookups and some more primitive sites are available, along with showers and fish-cleaning facilities.

For more information about Lake Jennings, visit the lake's Web site at http://www.lakejennings.org, e-mail ranger@lakejennings.org or call (619) 443-2510. For campground information, see http://www.lakejennings.org/camping/index.htm, which contains a link to the campground's online reservation system.

If you are looking for a great place to drown worms or just kick back, try Lake Jennings, the close-in lake that feels a hundred miles away!

LAKE CUYAMACA: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S BEST-KEPT SECRET
Lake Cuyamaca is a small, 110-acre lake located in the mountains east of San Diego. Owned and operated by Helix Water District as a water storage reservoir, it also serves a dual role as a recreation facility.

The recreational part of the lake is operated by the Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District under a lease agreement between these two public agencies. It is a perfect marriage that maximizes the public benefit of the lake and the surrounding area. You are invited to come see for yourself.

Bordered on three sides by the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, it is an idyllic setting for year-round mountain trout fishing in Southern California. It is proof positive that good things come in small packages.

The oak and pine forest teems with wildlife. Most evenings you can watch from 2 to 40 deer come down to drink in the lake. Bobcats and coyotes chase mice in the meadows right next to the fishermen.

Sounds great, but the big question is, "How is the fishing?" Lake Cuyamaca is stocked with 42,400 pounds of trout each year. After those trout are stocked, the rich waters of the lake allow them to grow quite rapidly. During the spring and fall a lot of trout will develop orange flesh from the natural shrimp in the lake.

The lake holds the county record of 14 lb. 1 oz. This fish was stocked as a 12 lb. 8 oz. fish, and in eleven months it grew 1 1/2 pounds.

The 4,600 ft. elevation keeps the water cool so that the lake can be stocked with trout all summer long. The high elevation also means that the lake may get lots of snow from mid-October through mid-May!

Those who like to mix a little camping with their fishing will find 14 tent-sites and 40 RV-sites next to the lake.

FOR VISITORS: Free fishing classes every Saturday at 10 a.m. We also have free "how to" tip sheets to help you find and catch fish.

Come and see the beauty of the lake for yourself. Lake Cuyamaca is 45 minutes from La Mesa. Take Hwy. 8 east to Hwy. 79 north until you see the lake. Our address is 15027 Highway 79, Julian, CA 92036.

For more information about Lake Cuyamaca, visit the lake's Web site at http://www.lakecuyamaca.org, e-mail georgia@lakecuyamaca.org or call (760) 765-0515.