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LV E-Mail Newsletter
Los Vaqueros E-Mail Newsletter
Nov. 18
Edition
Felix Kuntz caught a 5.09 pound salmon on a Bomber lure Nov. 9 from a boat in Cox Cove, southeast of the Marina. Salmon are extremely streaky at Los Vaqueros, with anglers going for months without catching one and then inexplicably bringing them in regularly for several weeks at a time. Kuntz's fish was about a pound shy of the lake record, but is the biggest recent catch.
With cooler temperatures, and a steady reservoir level, it seems now should be the time to see more of the elusive fish. While we've seen a few since this catch, we haven't seen a lot. Salmon are planted at Los Vaqueros by the Department of Fish and Game.
The DFG has stocked salmon only four times since the reservoir opened to fishing in 2001. The DFG usually plants fingerlings. The last time they were planted was in 2007, when 40,000 fingerlings were put into the reservoir. Most of the fish planted are Chinooks, but we have seen an occasional King.
LV Calendar
Nov. 21 --Astronomy Night starts at 7 p.m. at Kellogg Creek (This event was added after the Activity Guide was printed).
Nov. 21 --Thanksgiving Crafts
Nov. 22 --Birds of Prey
Nov. 28 -- How to Fish Los Vaqueros
Dec. 12-- Birds of Prey
Dec. 13 -- Afternoon of Holiday Crafts
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Astronomy Night Saturday at Kellogg Creek
Winter is a great time to watch the stars, and we’ll have the experts help you Saturday at the Kellogg Creek Picnic Area with our last Astronomy Night of the year from 7 to 9 p.m.
This event was added after our Activity Guide was printed.
Please dress for the expected cold weather and bring a flashlight. You are invited to bring your own telescope, or you can use one that will be on hand.
We may see the last remnants of the Leonid meteor shower, and this is one of the best times of the year to take a good look at the Milky Way.
NASA Astrophysics Education Ambassador Jeff Adkins, who also teaches at Deer Valley High School, will lead the evening.
Deer Valley has two planetariums and provides workshops and training to students and teachers in the area.
He designed the digital planetarium now in use at the school and is director of the school's space academy, guiding students through research using NASA space probes and more. Mr. Adkins is also a NASA Astrophysics Education Ambassador representing the GLAST mission through Sonoma State University and has conducted many workshops on a variety of topics at the local, state, and national level.
Kellogg Creek is located right off Walnut Blvd. on the north side of the watershed near Brentwood.
Thanksgiving Crafts Saturday
Get ready for Thanksgiving with hands-on art and craft activities that reflect the celebrations of the season Saturday, Nov. 21 from noon to 1:30 p.m. It’s free, and a good way to escape the hustle and bustle of the holiday in the warm Los Vaqueros Interpretive Center.
Birds of Prey Sunday
Drop into the Interpretive Center Sunday, Nov. 22 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to see a live "Bird of Prey" up close. You won't be able to touch the raptor -- claws, sharp beak, that kind of thing -- but you'll get a good close look. We don't know which bird or birds will be there (birds have moods, and some days they do not like to travel), but our staff will be able to tell you all about them.
We'll Be Open During The Thanksgiving Holiday
We’ll have regular hours – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. – every day during the holiday, so please join us before or after your family meal or the football games.
How to Fish Los Vaqueros
This free presentation is set for Saturday, Nov. 28 and is designed for beginners. It will include hand-outs and small “get-started fishing” kits. We’ll provide the tips, tricks, dos and don’ts for catching fish, particularly at Los Vaqueros. Starts at noon and will last about an hour. The presentation is free.
Fishing Report
GENERAL CONDITIONS
The overall fishing at Los Vaqueros is only rated fair, but we do continue to see quality fish. The cooler weather and waters should help the trout bite. The reservoir is at 77 percent and holding steady. The water temperature is 61 degrees. We experienced a beautiful week of fall weather with little or light winds.
Half-day boat rentals are $25 Monday - Thursday
TROUT
We will be planting a load of 1200 pounds of trout from Calaveras Trout Farm on Friday November 20th. Hopefully, this will jump start the trout fishing.
Overall, trout fishing is slow. We see a few limits but we see more fishermen with zero to one or two trout. From shore try the South Cove, Oak Point or North of the Rock Wall. From a boat try the back of Peninsula or Cox Cove. Favorite baits include PowerEggs, PowerBait, PowerWorms or a combination of the three. Light line and small weights are the way to go. Long casts are not needed as the fish are not far from shore.
Trolling continues slow but a few trout are taken. Try a dodger and a nightcrawler, Rapala's, Kastmaster's with a buck tail or Krocodile lures. The East shoreline is worth a shot.
SALMON
A few salmon were caught last week. We had one around 5 pounder caught on a Rapala. Another 4 pound fish was caught on an anchovy. One boat angler reported losing two nice salmon while trolling a 1/4 ounce Krocodile in chrome.
CATFISH
We continue to see a few big catfish. These fish ranged 14 - 17.5 pounds. Anchovies, nightcrawlers, and homemade dough baits all produced fish.
STRIPERS
A few were reported caught, but certainly not a hot bite. If you see any top water activity, throw a big swim bait at them. Anchovies on the bottom will produce a few fish.
LARGEMOUTH BASS
One angler reported taking five fish in the 1 to 2 pound range. He caught his fish tossing watermelon 4 inch plastics in Peninsula Cove.
BIRDS/WILDLIFE
Lots of birds and wildlife are available for viewing. Several people have reported seeing one of our bald eagles. Taking a boat out and cruising the shoreline of the lake should give you many viewing opportunities.
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