Alviso Scouting Report

I drove out to Alviso today to check things out.  The entire ramp area is closed off, I think they're finally gonna dredge and maintain it.  The good news is that the ramp area is just a small channel that dumps off into the Guadalupe and we can probably launch from there(with permission from the small sailing school that operates there).  I was there about two hours after the high tide and it looked like it would still be deep enough to return during the low.  There was about a dozen sail and shrimpin boats on the dock so I'm sure we'll be fine.  I'm still trying to find out the distance from the guadalupe to coyote slough and the towers.  I'm gonna try and make it over to the milpitas area and/or behind moffet and see what will work the best.

EXCELLENT   I wanna join you when you're ready for an expedition.  How long is the paddle to sturgeon territory?

Nice work Art. I read in the paper a while back that they where opening up the old salt ponds behind Moffet, there might be some easy access back there.

Count me in for the first paddle trip!

Not sure on the paddle distance yet Chuck.  Towers were visible from the levy and looked about the same distance as the duck blinds from Bucks.  By Monday I'll have more info.

Hi Art,

You may want to check out the Palo Alto Baylands, also.  It has a really nice dock.  Used for sailboats.  Only two things I did not like were 1. seemed like a long paddle to the Fremont side.  That is where the channel bouys are. 2. The park gate closes at 4:30pm durning the winter.  I guess.  There was a sign with a clock on it.  Like the ones you see when a small stores leaves for a short time.  "I will be back at this time".  

No one at the ranger station to asked.  Maybe, some kids were playing around with the sign.

It is on the end of Embarcadero Rd.

Ken

the best thing i saw in alviso was that 20' mckee craft at voyager marine

just say "when" art!

Thanks for the heads up on Palo Alto baylands Ken. I'll put in some driving time this weekend and check it out.  EPA, I'll make sure I'm armed to the teeth.   I'll also be looking around Milpitas and Freemont.

FYI a good sturgeon article with focus on the suoth bay:

http://coastsidefishingclub.com/drupal/?q=node/view/51

Bill, good article!  Here's why we need to check out the Alviso area....

You said you like to fish in the coyote creek area?
Yes that is my favorite area in the South Bay. The biggest thrill in Sturgeon fishing is catching one in very shallow water. He has no where to go except straight out or straight up. You will get long hard runs and jumps that will bring the fish completely out of the water. For me this is the ultimate Sturgeon battle. I do not recommend anyone venturing that far south unless you are familiar with the area or following someone who is. Due to the shallow water and numerous sand and mud bars it can be dangerous. From the electrical towers at Alviso Slough south to the Am Track Rail Road Bridge is my favorite fishing spots. The fish in this area are usually resident fish. As they return from the lower bay they just move around within the area feeding. On low water most of this area is about 4’ deep. What you look for is a spot the bait will collect, a bottom change, a bend, a point, a small slough feeding into the creek, anything that will hold bait. Both tides and small tides will work in this area because it is shallow and confined so you get good currents.

I'm ready to give it a try!

Update:
Palo Alto would be like a 20 mile roundtrip or more to the towers.
too much and not enough

Our best bet would be to contact Blue Whale Sailing school to see if we can launch from their area and park in the access trail parking lot up the street.  We might have to slip em a few bucks to launch.  I haven't had a whole lotta time to find their telephone # but will do so before the end of the week.  From what Dean told me, the tides can be murder and with a ten foot swing sinking to -1 this weekend we might be better off fishing the incoming tide and not too far into the out (lest you want to sit in mud for hours on end).  The wind generally kicks up in the afternoon and will probably blow us back down the slough.  Not sure how bad but after the last trip I'm sure we can take it.  Bill if I recall correctly you work near the slough, if you can make a trip out just to make sure there's water in it at low tide that would be perfect.

Paddle looks like 3 miles to the bay and the power lines cross slightly north of the entrance. http://mapper.acme.com/?lat=37.462176&long=-122.02429&scale=14&theme=Topo&width=4&height=3&dot=Yes
Stay tuned.............

So is that dot on the map the launch or the fishing spot?

I will try to swing over there at a low tide this week, hopefully I can find one around lunch time.  

I would figure the higher the tide the better fishing it would be back there but I am clueless...

I would figure the higher the tide the better fishing it would be back there but I am clueless...

I'd agree that the huge outgoing tide will flush alot of forage out, I was just worried about being able to return.  That dot is the end of the slough, this is the launch point http://mapper.acme.com/?lat=37.430383&long=-121.9822&scale=14&theme=Topo&width=4&height=3&dot=Yes

Doesn't the trail go way the heck out there to the bay? Now all we need is a kayak trailer to hook to our mountain bikes and we are set!

It looks like the next minus tide is Friday @ 4PM at a -0.45. I can sneak out a little early Friday and check it out.

Here is a high tide pick of the "launch"



and a low tide image...



ouch!

That launch is behind a cyclone fence and inaccessable now.  Here's the launch I had in mind
 



At low tide a launch would look like this