Steven's Creek / Cupertino - 11.10.05 (PICS)

Got to the lake before noon and paddled towards the cove right across the launch ramp - trout jumping everywhere   Within minutes of fan casting around the boils...."HULI KA!" (means "I gotcha" in tagalog). I used a yellow coach dog rooster tail with a single siwash hook. I lost count on how many I hooked and released = it was that good! Although the trout were all on the small side (a foot long), the 4# mono with an ultra light rod made every battle worth while. After two hours of working the cove, I started keeping a few so I can have it smoked by my co-worker. It didn't take long to get my limit - as soon as I got the 5th one on the stringer, I called it a day. Thanks to Bill for posting the info on the recent trout plant at Steven's Creek. A nice way to spend a day off from work  


this first one was caught with a gold cast master. Since the fish were so close, I did not need a heavy lure so I made the switch the lighter rooster tail.



Mr. Bass decided to join the feeding frenzy.....



 a school of trout (where my rod is pointing to)....



there were ton's of yellow jackets in the water....which perfectly matched the color of my rooster tail.....


the lure of choice  


the stringer at the end of the day...


all cleaned and ready for the smoker....

nice catch, looks like fun, brought memories of burney creek back.

Hey Mooch, now I know why your screen name was "Trout Slayer" on a previous forum.  Excellent pics as usual.  Glad you had a great time.  It looked a nice day on the lake.

However, the last time I saw trout schooling like that was at Lake Chabot within a few hours of the planting truck dropping its load of trout.  They were still dazed and disoriented.  ...

Ahaaa! since purching conditions are not favorable this weekend I just might take the Ultra Ultra Light out to the lake

Great catch Joel. I guess that answers my question on your new weight lost on the prowler.

Hey Mooch, great pictures. I did not realize lake fishing could be as much fun as ocean fishing, until I read your report. I will need a lake fishing tutoring.

Hey Mooch,

Nice looking limit.  Bet that was fun.

What's your recipe for smoking trout?  If you don't mind disclosing proprietary information?

I have caught quit a few stringers of 2+ pound trout from shore at Melones during the winter months and I found using most any salmon brine recipe which includes a lot of salt and sugar works well, however, I have yet to see a single recipe specific to trout.  I have been happy with the trout that I have smoked, but I'm sure I could do better.

Brian 3Dog

However, the last time I saw trout schooling like that was at Lake Chabot within a few hours of the planting truck dropping its load of trout. They were still dazed and disoriented. ...

oh - I'm pretty sure they just planted the trout - that's why it was easy limits. I saw a trout plant at Lexington last year and fish were jumping clear out of the water - just like what I witnessed at Stevens Creek.

What's your recipe for smoking trout? If you don't mind disclosing proprietary information?

I actually don't do the smoking. I do the "catching" and my co-worker does the "smoking"....a symbiotic relationship   I'll ask him how he does it and I'll post it on the recipe section.

i don't go to steven's creek much because you have to pay $5 parking fee and then another $5 bucks for every boat.  can you get out of the parking fee by parking on the road instead?

i don't go to steven's creek much because you have to pay $5 parking fee and then another $5 bucks for every boat.  can you get out of the parking fee by parking on the road instead?

Greg - I park outside the gates all the time - no charge. I usually take my yak wheels with me for easier portage. The one thing I hate about Steven's Creek is the shooting range next door - it starts to sound like downtown Baghdad later in the afternoon  

I hit up Stevens creek this morning, but from shore.  I only managed 1 trout for 3 hours of fishing and that trout came on my second cast.  I thought for sure it was gonna be a good day cause the trout were jumping everywhere, but no one was bagging any today.  From 8-11, i only saw 5 trout caught, and that was including my one.  I caught mine on a panther martin spinner, then switched to a rooster tail after about an hour but it didnt help.

sharkie - did you hike over to the cove or did you just fish from the dam? To fish the cove, you don't have to cast very far. Most of the trout I caught were 2 feet from the shore. The shore is very steep and drops off right away. I basically positioned the yak along the shore and I'd cast parallel to the shore line.

The school kept moving so having that yak gave me an advantage. I also think that the fly fishermen would fair better cause I noticed that there were a lot of insects (dead & alive) on the water.

What really made my day was that half time I was reeling in the rooster tail (just inches below the surface of the water) I could see a wake trailing the lure   Some committed and some simply swam the other way when they got close to the yak.

No i dont like fishing from the dam.  I fished the cove by the picnic grounds (where i caught my fish), and from the thin & steep bank to the left of the boat ramp, and right under the parking lot.  But those trout were jumping right by the shore so i know i should have caught more.  It seemed as though they were going after the bugs more than anything.