Los Vaqueros Offers A Surprisingly Diverse Fishery   By: Dan Bacher April 6, 2006 More Articles by Dan

Los Vaqueros Reservoir is a lake of surprises. One would expect the lake, located in the hills between Byron and Livermore where air temperatures in the summer regularly go over 100 degrees, to be a productive warm water fishery with decent trout fishing during the winter months like many other East Bay and foothill lakes.

However, Los Vaqueros offers a year-round trout and salmon fishery – and the best bank fishing can be in the summer at a time when even many Sierra Nevada lakes, such as Stampede or Almanor, offer poor trout fishing from shore because of high surface temperatures.

Los Vaqueros surprised Larry Ward, past president of United Anglers of California, and I when we had the opportunity to be the first anglers to fish the lake during when the lake was opened to fishing in September 2001. The reservoir is the second newest fishery in northern California – the only other lake opened up more recently was Quarry Lakes Recreation Area in December 2001.

After Contra Costa County Water District officials conducted the ribbon cutting ceremony, Ward and I ran down to the shoreline near the marina. “Do you want to make the first cast?” Ward asked.

“No, Larry, you make it… you’re the one that should do it.” Ward had spent many hours in the previous years working on the committee to plan fishing and other forms of recreation at the lake.

We both thought we would probably hook a bass, bluegill or other warm water fish, since we expected the water temperature to be in the high seventies during the warm spell. Ward began retrieving the lure right at the edge of the marina.

On his third cast, he had a bite. On his next cast, Ward hooked the first official fish ever caught at the lake, a long, sleek holdover rainbow. I excitedly took photos and Ward released the fish back into the water. We were both very surprised that rainbow trout were holding so close to shore.

I tossed out a nightcrawler under a plastic bubble and immediately hooked a 2 lb. 16 inch rainbow. After landing that fish, I proceeded to catch the first ever trout limit taken on the lake, including a gorgeous 22 inch holdover, on Crave and Power Bait

When we reported our catch to Bob Nuzum, fishery biologist and now retired manager of the Watershed and Lands Department of the Los Vaqueros Watershed, he wasn’t surprised at all. "I've seen those trout hanging around the docks and other areas on the lake," Nuzum said. "There's deep water close to shore, so those fish can move into shallow water to feed on minnows."

Since that time, Los Vaqueros has evolved into one of the most exciting and diverse fisheries in the state. Though rainbow trout dominate the cold water fishery, trollers and bank anglers also nail some kokanee salmon and chinook salmon, the result of Department of Fish and Game plants. The lake also harbors largemouth bass, striped bass, channel catfish, white catfish, brown bullhead catfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, green sunfish, and the West’s only native sunfish, the Sacramento perch.

Los Vaqueros continues to surprise anglers. When I went to Los Vaqueros on St. Patrick’s Day this year for a special plant of 5,000 pounds of rainbows by Mt. Lassen Trout Farm, I found out that anglers could add one more fish to the lake’s fishery – German brown trout.

Ky Phoun, a regular at the lake, hooked his second trout of the day while tossing out a rainbow trout pattern Kastmaster. When he worked the fish right up next to the bank, I was shocked to see that the fish was a brown.

“You may have a new lake record,” I told him. “You better go weigh it.”

Sure, enough it was the largest ever brown trout caught at the reservoir, weighing 4.32 pounds. Another angler, Steve Nelson, landed a 3.65 lb. brown trout the same day, also while using a Kastmaster from shore in the South Cove.

The lake – which receives its water from the Delta – had a forage base 10 times that of San Pablo Reservoir when it opened. The lake continues to have a diverse forage base of threadfin shad, inland silversides and golden shiners.

Since the reservoir opened, the lake has maintained relatively cool temperatures year round. This is a result of (1) the frequent strong winds that move through the watershed, keeping the water temperature even cool in the summer and (2) the aerator on the lake that puts oxygen into the water while mixing it. As a result, the surface temperatures rarely exceed the high sixties, even in the late summer.

Shore fishing for trout is very good year round, although the fish will go into deeper water during the summer and fall. Good areas to fish include the South Cove, where the plants take place, Oak Point and its pier or the ADA Dock

Kastmasters are a very good lure to use after a plant. Right after the 5,000 pounds of trout were planted on March 17, the vast majority of fish caught were hooked on Kastmasters.

For example, Mark Sealers nailed his limit of rainbows, topped by a 5.77 lb. beauty, while tossing out a gold Kastmaster in the South Cove. Kevin McConnell of Brentwood and Jason and Tony Gonzales of Hayward also nailed their limits of rainbows while fishing silver/blue Kastmasters in the South Cove.

Since Los Vaqueros is located within a protected watershed, salmon eggs, crickets, grasshoppers, grubs, liver and worms are the only natural baits allowed. Anglers also can use Power Bait, Crave Bait and other prepared baits. However, no clams, frogs, fish or dead animals are allowed.

Fishing from a boat is also popular at Los Vaqueros, but only the electric powered rental boats available from Urban Park Concessionaires at the lake’s marina are allowed. Anglers trolling from the rental boats in the spring and summer take most of the kokanee and king salmon caught at Los Vaqueros. However, Bob Brownlee of the Los Vaqueros Marina emphasized that both species are ‘few and far between” in the catches.

Largemouth bass are the second most commonly caught fish taken by shore anglers. David Chung shattered the lake record when he nailed a 7.56 pound largemouth fishing from shore at the Rock Wall near the marina on 4/4/05. Not only did he set the record, but he also caught a 6-pound largemouth bass on the same day. He used a green rubber worm to entice both fish.

Chung broke the largemouth record set in December of 2003 by Jonathan Watson, who caught his 6.8-pound largemouth on the other side of the reservoir near the dam.

Shore anglers occasionally take striped bass, but most are caught by anglers fishing lures in deep water throughout the lake, according to Brownlee. Cliff Bagot, who currently holds the lake record of 12.7 pounds, caught his fish on a Rat-L-Trap in Peninsula Cove on 6-10-04.

Blaze Smith landed the largest fish of any kind every caught in the lake, a 23 pound catfish, while fishing a nightcrawler south of the dam on 5-13-04. Smith's fish broke the three-year-old lake record by eight pounds.

Expect more records to be broken in coming years on this forage-rich impoundment. For more information about Los Vaqueros, call the marina at (925) 371-2628.      

Los Vaqueros Reservoir Facts

Location: The Los Vaqueros Watershed is located in Contra Costa County off Vasco Road between Byron and Livermore. The watershed consists of 19,300 acres of protected lands surrounding Los Vaqueros Reservoir, which holds 100,000-acre-feet of stored drinking water.  

History: The Los Vaqueros Project was approved and funded (100%) by Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) rate-payers in 1988 and the Project was completed in 1997. The project enables the Water District to pump high quality water from Old River in the Delta during wet months when salinity is low, then store it for use in the fall, when the Delta water quality is poor.  

Hours: The lake is open to fishing open 7 days a week, including holidays. Operational hours are: September: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., October: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., November - February: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., March: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., April - August: 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.  

Facilities: The watershed offers a boat rental marina, courtesy fishing docks, hiking and multi-use trails, picnic facilities, restrooms and three staging areas. Currently, there are 55 miles of trails with 12.5 miles designated for multi-use activity.  

2006 Fees and Permits: Parking for Car/Motorcycle/Small Van is $6.00, Car- CCWD Resident - $4.00, Van/Bus (10-20 passengers) - $12.00, and Van/Bus (21+ passengers) - $20.00. Fishing permits are $3.50 each.  

Regulations: Los Vaqueros is a protected watershed environment that provides people with drinking water and numerous protected animal and plant species with a place to live. Because the reservoir stores drinking water, body contact sports (such as swimming) and personal watercraft (boats, canoes, kayaks and/or float tubes) are not allowed; boats with electric motors are available for rental at the marina. Dogs are not allowed at Los Vaqueros Reservoir. Smoking is allowed only in designated smoking areas. Possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages is not allowed.  

Fishing And Facilities Information: contact the Los Vaqueros Recreation Company, P.O. Box 325, Byron, CA 94514, Phone: (925) 371-2628, Email: gofish@norcalfishing.com, website: www.norcalfishing.com/losvaq.html. Information on Los Vaqueros is also available on the CCWD website, www.ccwater.com.  

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