Los Vaqueros
(Byron) Rainbow trout offer you your best chance of hooking up now at Los Vaqueros Reservoir. Bank fishermen and rental boaters are landing the trout while fishing PowerBait, nightcrawlers and lures in the South Cove, Peninsula Cove and Cowboy Cove.
Trout plants continue, with the latest plant of 1000 pounds of Mt. Lassen rainbows going into the reservoir on Thursday, March 3.
“The fish being caught now are averaging 1 to 4 pounds, with an occasional 7 to 8 pounder,” according Matt de la Madrid at Los Vaqueros Marina.
Big fish honors go to Sean Alvey, who landed a 7.11 lb. rainbow while trolling a Rapala from a rental boat in Peninsula Cove. Martin Villasuerte demonstrated his angling prowess by nailing a 6.18 trout while employing a Mouse Tail from the bank in South Cove.
No big striped bass have been caught since Gayle Greer of San Jose landed a 23.9 lb striped bass while fishing PowerBait from shore in the South Cove in February. A lot of undersized fish continue to be caught for every keeper. From shore, cut anchovies and shad are the top baits.
“I heard of a couple of largemouth bass landed, but no catfish over the past couple of weeks,” said de la Madrid.
The water level is currently at 80,600 acre-feet. The release has stopped due to lower salinity in the delta. The water temperature is at 52-53 degrees and the water clarity remains good.
San Pablo
(Antioch) The trout bite remains good for boaters, with the best spots being best the Rock Wall, Sandy Point, and Scow Canyon.
“I have seen anglers trolling out here with not much luck; bait fishing is the best bet,” said Marcella Shoemaker of the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company. “Mice Tails, Power Bait and worms are the top baits. The most successful colors are chartreuse, spring green, green pumpkin, and the garlic scent. The Main Rec. Area, the Pines and the Oaks are also producing plenty of fish.”
Big fish honors go to Curtis Davis of Suisun City, who caught a 7.6 lb trout using PowerBait. Leo Bacani of Daily City landed 2 trout to 5.3 lbs while fishing in Scow Canyon with PowerBait.
Gary Howard of Livermore bagged his limit of trout up to 3 pounds while tossing out Mice Tails in Scow Canyon. Brian Yee of Alameda nailed 2 trout, topped by a 3 pounder, at Oak Point. Jennifer Harlow and friend of Pacifica caught 5 trout to 4 lbs while using PowerBait in a “top secret location.”
Leo Soto of South San Francisco landed 3 trout up to 2.2 lbs using a worm/marshmallow combination at the rock wall. Trav Lawrence of Pleasant Hill caught his limit of trout on worms while kayaking the lake.
Adam Lambert of Vacaville reeled in a 4.94 lb trout while fishing at Oak Point. Bob Clark and friend of South San Francisco caught 6 trout, the largest weighing 3 lbs, while using PowerBait.
Contra Loma
(Antioch) The great news is that Contra Costa Water District has refilled the lake. All of the docks are now open.
The not-so-great news is “the water is still muddy and fishing has been slow,” according to Joe Sullivan of the East Bay Regional Park District.
“Fish for trout on the East Side, Channel Point or from a boat with Power Bait, Mice Tails or nightcrawlers, or try for catfish at Channel Point, Loma Island or from a boat with nightcrawlers or chicken liver,” he tipped. “For black bass, fish an array of plastic worms, jigs or other lures or nightcrawlers anywhere around the lake. Crappie and bluegills will hit best on worms at the Boat Ramp area, Loma Island or the Channel Point area.”
Tbe park district stocked the reservoir with 500 pounds of rainbow trout the week of March 7.
Shadow Cliffs
(Pleasanton) Anglers continue to nail rainbow trout off the shoreline, including the Stanley Dock and surrounding areas, as well as from kayaks around the lake, reported Joe Sullivan of the East Bay Regional Parks District.
Tyler from San Jose caught his limit of rainbow trout while using a Kastmaster, near the second dock. Wayne Campiotti landed a five-pound trout near the dock along Stanley Blvd.
The CDFW stocked Shadow Cliffs with 750 pounds of rainbows the week of February 29 and another 750 pounds the week of March 14.
Del Valle
(Livermore) The water temperature has drastically risen to 58 degrees, pushing most of the fish into deeper and cooler water on Lake Del Valle.
“Trout are still active from the south end all the way to the Dam,” said Ted Rowland of the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company. “Most anglers are using Mice Tails, Power Bait and small spinners.”
Catfish have slowed down with a few anglers reporting some catches. The best baits to use are still anchovies, chicken Livers, mackerel and sardines. If you want to target catfish, you need to look for fallen trees, with the more cover the better.
Largemouth and smalllmouth bass are starting to show up, with many anglers catching and releasing. “Look for deep rock walls and downed trees,” he tipped. “Most anglers are drops hotting Roboworms or using wacky- rigged Senkos. You can also get them on smaller crankbaits”
Anglers using trout pattern swimbaits or jigs are landing a few stripers ranging from 5 to 15 lbs. also.
“You will need to fish deeper water because they are chasing trout and shad. Hair raisers and spoons, as well as anchovies, mackerel and sardines, are producing stripers also,” said Rowland.
George Kirkpatrick of Sunnyvale caught a 2.3 lb. rainbow while using Mice Tails from the West Beach. Nick Reyes of San Jose caught a trout weighing 3.9 lbs. while fishing with a crankbait in Swallow Bay. Finally, Timothy Avila of Mountain View a rainbow weighing 1.98 lbs while using a Rapala near the Dam.
Quarry Lakes
(Fremont) “A lot of trout have been caught in the last few weeks, but mostly in the one- to two-pound range, from the Department of Fish & Wildlife plant we had a couple of weeks ago,” said Joe Sullivan of the East Bay Regional Park District.
The park district also stocked Horseshoe Lake with 500 pounds of rainbows the week of February 29 and 750 pounds the week of March 14.
Jack Antrim of Hayward caught and released two largemouth bass, the largest one weighing four pounds. He also caught and released four trout from his boat using a Rainbow Runner.
Young Emily Souza caught a three-pound, six-ounce trout from Fishermen’s Row using a gold Kastmaster. Another angler caught a five-pound trout on Power Bait along Fisherman’s Row.
“Don’t forget to bring your catch by the kiosk if you would like to be in our newsletter. Come on by and we will weigh your catch for you,” he stated.
Note that the use of lead fishing tackle is prohibited at Quarry Lakes. Currently, the boat ramp and fishing pier are both open and the water is on the rise.