Lexington 10.29.05 (PICS)

Joel, both Lexington and Steven Creek have big populations of big crappie I have been finding out via word of mouth. I only saw this (as well as heard about it) by a fluke--I went to SC one morning to paddle my sea kayak (not fish) a few months ago and two guys in a pram with a trolling motor were landing with limits of Black Crappie-they said they fish it often. They use white and yellow jigs and spot the schools on the sonar usually around the mouths of the coves. I was there testing out my sonar install and I say some schools that moved around around 15-20 feet deep. I thought Sunfish at the time--no I know better. I am sure it is the same for Lex. I have also been told that in the Fall (i.e. now!) the Crappie will slash into schools of Threadfin Shad on the surface at Lex. I have never caught a Crappie or eaten one--I have heard they are very tasty. I wish I had time to take the 'yak to Lex this evening, but a quick shore fish is all I can do.

There used to be a site, Icthy.com, which chronicled a guy float tubing around the South Bay (Lex, SteveCrk, Uvas, Coyote, Calero, Guadlupe, etc.) but it is 404ed now. I guess he moved on. He had lot's of good info and posted his reports of his fishing. I never paid much attention back then because I was mostly fly fishing for trout or Striped Bass at San Luis. Wish I had now.  

good info / thanks.

I used to fish Steven's Creek before my kayak days. I fished from the shore and a float tube as well. I used to see a lot of crappie being caught back then and I noticed it slowed down quite a bit. I spoke to a long time resident fisherman (he lives a block away) and he said that the fishery in Steven's Creek used to be really good until the County kept draining the entire lake to really low levels every year and it affected the spawning grounds for the bass,bluegills and crappie. I don't know if much of this info is true but I guess they need the water flowing below the dam to keep the resident steelhead / rainbows alive.

The stream below and above the lake does have some nice little rainbows / steelhead....I used to catch and release them with my ultra-lite spinning rod with 4 # mono and a single barbless hook coach dog rooster tail. During the opening season for stream fishing, you'll always find some fly fishermen working the top and bottom stream. The biggest one I caught was a 10 incher...small =but they pack a punch  

Pitched a texas-rigged green speckled Senko for a few hours. Got a few hits, but must have been small--they 'short-hit' and missed the hook--frustrating. I was in a cove just South of the crew dock. Saw two kayakers run past near dark heading home. Any of you folks? I'll be back when I have more time.

Dang didly it,

I was gonna be in on this, and now I know I will at some point soon.

MolBasser

Hey Mooch,

Did you launch from the paved ramp (and have to pay the launch fee?) or are there any good places to shore launch?  Last time I was there it was pretty slim pickings for anyplace other than the ramp...

Thanks,

Gordon

Hey Gordon,

We launched by the paved ramp - Free - as far as I know. I think you can find some spots along the alma bridge road - that's what Ferdie the float tuber did. I recall seeing a dirt ramp along that road - but it maybe hard to locate if your just driving by. It's pretty steep so be careful!

As far as I know, Santa Clara County Parks do not charge kayaks to launch--I have launched while talking to the rangers and they never said a word. However, parking is enforced if you use the lots that ask for a fee. Since I kayak at Lex and SCreek as well as fly cast practice at the Perc Ponds (there are concrete casting ponds there built by City of SJ), I spring for a season pass so I never worry. They enforce parking at SCreek for sure--I have seen then ticketing vehicles in the upper lot which is a pain because there is no pay machine there--you have to stop at the lower lot, buy the ticket, then display when you park at the upper lot.

Went to Lexington Halloween day, got on the water with my new 06 outback hull (replacement for the dreaded "cracked hull syndrome" ) brought my Ultra-lite (3' 2lb test) my trout rod and my bass rod.  Problem was, all I had was trout stuff  Left all my bass worms at home in other tackle box darnit.(grabbed the wrong box)
  My buddy used nightcrawlers and landed 2 blu-gill at firemans cove (below the alma fire station) I was skunked.
  FF worked flawlessly (or not darnit, it didn't point out any fish to me!
  Naw it showed bottom contours  beautifully.  I used to float tube Lexington quiet often, but my "tubin dayz" are done now that I have the OB! We covered so much water in such a short time, I could never have gone as far in the float tube as we did on the yaks in the time we were on the lake.    I was a little discouraged to see that Ferdi the float tuber kept his bass.  Trout & crappi/blue-gill yes.  Bass no.

  Next time!

I saw 2 kayaks go past towards the dam near sunset and wondered if it was someone from this board. I fished the cove just up from the Crew Launch from the shore because I didn't have time to deal with the kayak. Plastics would have helped--I fished a 4" Senko and got 'short-bitten' (must have been little ones who missed the hook.) a few times. I should have changed to a big short grub, but there really was little time. Before I knew it I heard the Ranger telling the owner of a car fitting mine to return to the car--the park was closed. This DST change has really cut into after-work fishing time   Hope to run into more of you over time--maybe we can organize a Lex day one day when we are all looking for fresh water. Maybe Anderson, Coyote or another pace as well.

I was a little discouraged to see that Ferdi the float tuber kept his bass. Trout & crappi/blue-gill yes. Bass no.

Ferdie the float tuber did not keep his bass - he released all that he caught that day. Edsel kept his one bass to have for dinner - nothing wrong with selective harvest. He only gets to go out and fish maybe once every two months.

maybe we can organize a Lex day one day when we are all looking for fresh water. Maybe Anderson, Coyote or another pace as well.

I'm up for that!

What's the deal about keeping bass?

I'm not dialed into fresh water stuff.

Pat

Hi Seabreeze,

You can keep 5 Lrg Mouth Bass (12" min.) .  but, a lot of serious bass guys only catch and release.  The bigger bass are always females.

Stevens Creek Res. you need to buy a launch ticket.  But, it is not really in forced.  The ticket station is in the first parking lot.  The ranger I know said that float tubes do not need a launch ticket because your feet or waders touch water.  The kayak is considered a boat.  

I just buy a season pass and then I can fish all the lakes in Santa Clara County.

Ken Kickfish

Lexington is a fairly highly-pressured fishery with dwindling numbers of fish. People mostly suspect it is due to draw downs and over-harvesting of large brood stock.  So I think a lot people think catch and release is a good general rule. the ideas is that if we take too many fish--there may not enough left to spawn in numbers sufficient to rebuild stocks and maintain a healthy genetically diverse population. For example studies have shown that since fishers tend to keep the biggest fish, the average size of fish declines over time--man becomes an environmental genetic selector towards smaller fish. This has been shown to have happened to several Salmon populations and may be happening to Blue fin Tuna and other species. While opinions differ, it pays to consider how important it is to keep the fish you catch and how many in small populations like small lakes, rivers, and streams. I am more likely to keep ocean fish and hatchery Trout than I am fish from small lakes like Lexington. But that's my choice and I don't push it on others. Just a thought.

Ahhh, thank you both for the information.  I assumed Lexington was stocked fish.  Did I mention that I'm not very dialed in on fresh water stuff???..........But thank you for making me better informed..........
Pat

But with Trout, but not Bass, Crappie, Sunfish, Catfish, Carp--they are on their own as far as I know.