South & East Bay summer fishing

As I am new to this I am trying to get my game plan straight for the coming months' fishing.  I am doing trout right now on small lakes to get my feet wet (literally and figuratively) and was planning to move on to bigger bass lakes during the late spring summer.  I was thinking it might be fun to do some catfish, but wasn't sure that would work from a yak. 

What do you guys, more city orientated, do for fishing freshwater in the late spring summer months, when the trout fades a bit?  I don't think I am quite ready for saltwater, much as I would like to be, so I figure a more advanced freshwater is best.  I was thinking of Calero/Anderson in the South bay area and maybe making trips to Lake Chabot, Del Valle, or the like during the summer.  Can anyone recommend a set of good options, I don't want to stop fishing in the summer and be stuck with only trout. 

Thanks.

Don't underestimate yourself.  Consider fishing San Francisco Bay for halibut and stripers.  Pick the right day with light winds and slow tides and it's like fishing the lake but much closer to home for me.

Trust me, when you get a taste of bigger meatier game, you'll be hooked!

Trust me, when you get a taste of bigger meatier game, you'll be hooked!

ditto
just make sure to head out with a bunch of NCKAs and you will have an awesome time on the waters

Don't underestimate yourself.  Consider fishing San Francisco Bay for halibut and stripers.  Pick the right day with light winds and slow tides and it's like fishing the lake but much closer to home for me.

Trust me, when you get a taste of bigger meatier game, you'll be hooked!

Listen to Chuck on this one. The only thing I would add is to pick a place that will blow you back to shore if/when the wind picks up in the afternoon. Emeryville and Berkeley are both productive places to launch that the prevailing winds will almost always blow you back to shore. The Alameda rock wall is another one.
 
Drift some live shiners or frozen chovies/herring on a three way dropper rig and get ready to have some fun!

-Eliot

hmm man - sounds really good, it would be awesome to hook into something on the 2lb plus side. 

I think a trip out to Santa Cruz/Monterey/Carmel or anywhere else around, would be awesome.  I am in San Jose, but could make almost any location with a group.  The Alameda, is that local to San Jose, relatively speaking?

Thanks much.

The Alameda, is that local to San Jose, relatively speaking?

The Alameda Rockwall is exactly what I had in mind.  It's a newbie friendly spot and around 30 to 45 minutes from the San Jose.

Alameda Rock Wall was my very first taste of NCKA hookup.
And having to catch my very first halibut on the yak was so
awesome. Totally hooked from then on.

Jedmo

If you feel ready to try ARW - I will be hosting a gathering in June that is free to all Kayak Anglers
Check the link below or the NCKA home page
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,28706.0.html
Also if you want to meet up with other NCKA crew - join us at Clear Lake on April 10
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,29618.0.html
Either way you have the right group to help you out

See Ya Soon,
Eric / Yakhopper

If you try local lakes, Calero is better than Anderson as far as size of fish and boat traffic (until it gets really warm).  Get a floating minnow bucket.  Throw or dunk soft plastics on one rod while drifting a nose hooked live minnow on your second rod.  Coyote used to be great but once the DFG quit stocking trout the bass got skinny and picky.  ----Jeff

Well to start Calero and Anderson are the two lakes in the south bay you can put a kayak on . Coyote will be open April 15th. Coyote is still good even without the trout. You also have San Luis res. and the fore bay, Los Banos Creek res. about an hour from San Jose. All have good bass still. The trick is learning to bass fish. A big plus is the Delta too. Don't let boat traffic be a reason not to fish these lakes they will still bite. You don't have to stop fishing for the summer it can be the best time for fishing. I live in the South Bay and have fished these places for 35 years. You just need to learn some techniques.

Kevin

I say skip everything in Santa Clara County and head east!  I'm tired of inspections and outrageous fees, so I'd rather drive 2-3 hours away aparently for some inspection free fishing    Don Pedro, New Melones, Delta, Forebay, San Antonio, etc.  Calero though offers some of the best bass fishing you can find in the south bay, if you dont mind inspections and fee's.

You can also try San Leandro Marina to get a feel paddling the bay.  That is where I started paddling and fishing in saltwater.

Well to start Calero and Anderson are the two lakes in the south bay you can put a kayak on . Coyote will be open April 15th. Coyote is still good even without the trout. You also have San Luis res. and the fore bay, Los Banos Creek res. about an hour from San Jose. All have good bass still. The trick is learning to bass fish. A big plus is the Delta too. Don't let boat traffic be a reason not to fish these lakes they will still bite. You don't have to stop fishing for the summer it can be the best time for fishing. I live in the South Bay and have fished these places for 35 years. You just need to learn some techniques.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin - any additional tips for Calero would be much appreciated, never had much luck there from shore when I tried it a couple years ago.  I didn't like it mainly because of the large number of power boaters that seemed to get a kick out of "buzzing" smaller craft or shore walkers.

Well to start Calero and Anderson are the two lakes in the south bay you can put a kayak on . Coyote will be open April 15th. Coyote is still good even without the trout. You also have San Luis res. and the fore bay, Los Banos Creek res. about an hour from San Jose. All have good bass still. The trick is learning to bass fish. A big plus is the Delta too. Don't let boat traffic be a reason not to fish these lakes they will still bite. You don't have to stop fishing for the summer it can be the best time for fishing. I live in the South Bay and have fished these places for 35 years. You just need to learn some techniques.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin - any additional tips for Calero would be much appreciated, never had much luck there from shore when I tried it a couple years ago.  I didn't like it mainly because of the large number of power boaters that seemed to get a kick out of "buzzing" smaller craft or shore walkers.

You will get that in pretty much any lake during the height of summer.  Another good reason to head out to the salt    But if you must, then you must go early and beat them to the water.  For the most part, the lice come out after 11 and the fishing is usually better in the morning anyway.  Check with Coyote Bait for info on fishing the lake, im sure they can give some good tips.  Pickup some minnows there too and your sure to find some fish.  I know there are crappie in there too... but be damned if I fish for them there ever again! 

I don't know why everyone knocks boats....the scenery gets infinitely better once they arrive, they usually don't get there en masse until around high noon and the bite is dead anyway....and if you ever wanna see some real comedy bring a six pack and a lawn chair and hang out at the boat ramp at the end of the day.   


I haven't fished county lakes since they started the mussel inspections.  Fishing is decent and they used to be my go to spots for midweek, get out of work early, evening fish runs but I wouldn't waste too many prime weekends trying to fish them.  Hit the delta for world class bass fishing, the bay for butts and SC NMonterrey or Capitola for rockies....bring your beater trout rod and a box of squid, it'll be the funnest fishing you've ever done.