No Yaks for Loch Lomond Opener March 1...Not good news....

I wrote this tody for the Sentinel, but want to let you guys know as well.  Emails or letters to the Santa Cruz City council would be appreciated. 

2/23/09
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Fishing Report

Every year towards the end of February, local anglers look forward to the opening of our beautiful alpine lake Loch Lomond.  Nestled in the green hills above Zayante, Loch Lomond serves as the primary reservoir for the Santa Cruz City Water Department. The lake will open as usual on March 1, which falls on a Sunday this year.  March hours of operation are 6am to 6pm each day.

According to Scot Lang, Head Ranger at Loch Lomond, environmental challenges and a broad lawsuit are presenting a double-whammy for the lake this year.  Invasive mollusk species affecting other lakes and waterways in California has resulted in watercraft restrictions on the lake, and the California Department of Fish and Game is prevented by a recent lawsuit from exercising the regular trout-planting program in nearly half the normal destinations as of last fall.  Unfortunately, Loch Lomond is currently on the “no-plant” list.

Starting last season, the staff at Loch Lomond was required to perform inspections of each vessel entering the recreation area.  Any vessel with a hint of moisture or mud was not allowed to put in at the lake.  Boats with thru-hull fittings were banned.  The restrictions are to mitigate the possibility of introducing larval forms of Qaugga or Zebra mussels to the lake. These mussels can result in clogging or stoppage of intake apparatus for the reservoir’s fresh-water supply pipes.  This year an additional species, the Asian clam, is causing concern for water agencies in California.  Unlike the mussels, these clams do not attach, but they are prolific breeders.  And, like the mussels, they can have a negative effect on the food web as they filter phytoplankton, limiting nutrition for fish and other natural species.

Lang hopes to employ boat inspections again this year as the control method, but the final decision is up the Santa Cruz City Council.  Lang says the Council will make their decision during their March 10 Council meeting.  Until that date, no outside vessels will be allowed at Loch Lomond.  The lake does have a fleet of rental skiffs, but many local anglers have a tradition of fishing the lake each year on opening day, and the fleet of skiffs is limited.  Concerns about a possible ongoing ban for private vessels at Loch Lomond should be addressed to the Santa Cruz City Council prior to or during the March 10 meeting.

Because Loch Lomond is connected to the San Lorenzo River, which has a native trout population, the lake is subject to a planting ban that resulted from a lawsuit last year.  The terms of the suit require environmental impact reports be compiled by the DFG in order for them to continue their 100-year old stocking program.   The EIR is scheduled for completion by 2010.  In the meantime, the stocking program has been reduced by 50% across the state.  Sadly, Loch Lomond is on the “no-plant” list.

One ray of sunshine is the fact that largemouth bass fishing has been getting better and better at the lake for the past few years.  Mostly a catch-and-release fishery, bass of up to 11 pounds have been caught at Loch Lomond, and largemouth in the six to eight-pound class are not uncommon.  For local trout fishing, Pinto Lake is still receiving trout plants from the DFG. The latest plant was on March 22.

Un freaking believeable

letter to be fired off shortly

This seems to be getting way out of hand for us!!! .. Pretty soon we will be limited to the bays. Until they make it all MLPA zones!

Man that sucks. And Pinto has been closed to outside boats until March 1. Nowhere to catch trout from a yak around here anymore.

What the F?!?!?!? Are they freaking kidding!?!? Soon there will be nowhere left to fish. I can't believe this. Gawd darn son of a biscuit eater!!! 

-FF

I live a mile from Loch Lomond, and I kayak there a few times a week in the summer. This really sucks.

This completely sucks. Thanks for the post Allen. If possible, please keep us posted on their March 10th decision.

This completely sucks. Thanks for the post Allen. If possible, please keep us posted on their March 10th decision.

will do.

"If you want to get your boat in, then get your vote in."

Allen