Moving to Scotts Valley and checking out da trout

Hope everyone is doing well heading into the holiday season.

In a few weeks, we're moving just east of the Henry Cowell forest. Didn't find a keeper house in time to transition before school and whatnot needed to be sorted, so we're renting until something meets our specs. Haven't even been there yet, but it looks good on the map.

Moving in just in time for the winter trout/steelhead season, and it looks like we'll be within easy walking distance to Eagle Creek, Powder Mill Creek, and the San Lorenzo River. It's been all salt for me over the last several years. In another life, I used to catch brook trout in remote forest streams running through Pennsylvania, so hopefully I remember how to catch a trout. Looks like report card, barbless, catch and release, and only on Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday.

Anyone know if there are other rules and regs to be aware of in that area? Other considerations. Will be arriving just in time for the winter season.

Can't help with the regs, but wanted to welcome you to the other side of the hill!

Thanks tedski! 

Welcome to the neighborhood Gopher!  I've only fished the SLR a handful of times while living up here.  I've been able to observe 24+ inch steelhead coming up into my own back yard to spawn though when I lived of Hwy 9, but it was a no fishing section I lived on anyway.  I believe you have the regs correct, you also get to fish on opening and closing days as well as holidays if I remember correctly.  Just have to look up the specific water your targeting and find the boundry locations.  There is this map to help look up regulations: https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/sportfishingregs/

You’re going to be in a good spot. My favorite section of the SLR is btwn the Garden of Eden and Paradise park. I normally access it from the hwy 9 side, but there are trails on the east side too. Personally, I would avoid the tribs like eagle ck & powdermill ck. The season opens Dec 1 nowadays. Wed, Sat, Sundays with barbless hooks (bait is allowed; locals often use shrimp) below Boulder Creek. You may find a few striped bass in the lagoon too.

That’s where I’ll be at. Spinners are my drug of choice when chasing trout, a habit developed back in Pennsylvania, but I appreciate the shrimp tip, Sin Coast!

Hiking down through the redwoods to river from Highway 9, the temperature can drop several degrees on a cold winter morning. Beautiful area but I've never caught other than small fish, and not even those on the infrequent visits over the last 20 years. Back in the late '70s and early '80s saw more fish, and fishermen, but even then it was a shadow of bygone days. But locals have the upper hand with timing of the runs.

Beautiful area but I've never caught other than small fish…

That’s my experience too. I’ve caught a fair number to about 14 inches, and have had a couple of chances at the monsters that lurk there, but was not able to land them. I only fish it about 2x per season, on average, as it is rare for all of the stars to align (water level not too high or too low on a day when fishing is allowed). Also, prime spots get crowded on weekends, so I try to always have Wednesday morning free, just in case…

I can say for sure there are huge steelhead running up the SLR in January and February after the first few good rains and the water clears up I start seeing them.  Too bad the spots I know are not open for fishing.  I always get the report card, but rarely put in the time to try and fish for them.

Just wanna say you So-And-Sos are the best for hitting me up with some info. Moving starts in a week humbling myself on the river starts soon after.