The shore of Pinto Lake played host to the 64-man expedition of Spanish explorer Captain Gaspar de Portola, in October 1769. The expedition was forced to delay their trip from San Diego to San Francisco for a few days while many expedition members rested and recuperated from illness.

More recently, on June 17, 1993, Anita Contreras, a local Catholic, claimed that a foot high image of the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of Guadalupe) appeared in the bark of an oak tree in the back of Pinto Lake County Park while she knelt down to pray for her children. Since that time, Watsonville area Catholics have made the location a shrine to “Our Lady of Watsonville” and thousands of pilgrims have flocked to the site, praying and hoping for a miracle.

On Easter Morning, a colorful array of flowers, teddy bears, dolls and other items adorned the site when I made a hike around the lake after salmon fishing in Monterey Bay the day before.

While being a historic site for some and a shrine for others, the lake provides good rainbow trout and largemouth bass fishing for angling enthusiasts. On Easter Sunday, bass enthusiast Will Fujita was flipping tubes, jigs and Senkos in the lake’s abundant tules and heavy cover.

“I caught and released 8 largemouths ranging from 2 to 4 pounds,” said Fujita. “On a scale of 1 to 10, the lake is a 6 or 7 as a bass fishery. For years, too many anglers were keeping their bass, but the fishery is coming back, now that more anglers are catching and releasing their fish. The adoption of catch and release by many anglers has made a big difference in the fishery.”

The bass are fat and healthy, feeding on the nutrient-rich lake’s abundant forage, and average 2 to 3 pounds. Fujita’s largest-ever bass, taken in 1983, weighed 8-1/2 pounds. The lake record of 11 pounds, set by Keith Korba, was set four years ago, according to Fujita.

“The best time to fish Pinto is from February through May,” said Fujita. “There is also a good surface bite on the lake early and late in the day during June and July. Top water fishing continue to be productive through the early fall, but the action shuts off during the cold weather months.”

Fujita likes to use white and chartreuse buzz baits during the summer when the surface bite is on. However, plastic frogs, Ricos, Pop-Rs and other top water lures are also worth a try.

During the winter and early spring, rainbow trout, stocked regularly by the DFG, provide a decent put-and-take fishery for shore anglers and boaters. “The best fishing is within a day or two of the plants because the cormorants capture many of the trout,” said Allen Bushnell of the Let’s Go Fishing Radio Show. “It’s a very family friendly park with no alcohol allowed.”

The DFG stocks the lake with rainbows twice a month from November through May, depending upon water temperatures and the allotment, according to Bob Howard of the DFG’s Silverado Fisheries Base. The allotment is approximately 13,200 pounds of rainbows per year.

Shore anglers fishing around the boat launch catch good numbers of rainbow trout when the lake is being planted. Good baits to use include Power Bait, Power Eggs, Nitro Trout Bait, salmon eggs and inflated nightcrawlers. Anglers can also toss out Cripplures, Rooster Tails, Panther Martins and Kastmasters to tempt the trout.

Trollers fishing from private or rental boats also catch rainbow trout during the winter and spring. Good lures to employ include Needlefish, Rapalas, Hum Dingers, Kastmasters, Uncle Larry’s spinners and Sockeye Slammers.

Black crappie are known for their highly cyclical “boom and bust” cycles at Pinto, as they are at other California lakes. Anglers in 2005 and 2006 caught a lot of crappie while fishing jigs and minnows around the boat ramp in the spring, according to Fujita. However, the action hasn’t been as good this year, though Fujita has seen some dead crappie around the shoreline, typical of post-spawning mortality.

Bluegill sunfish offer the top action during the spring and summer. Young anglers catch them from shore in both the city and county parks. Redworms, golden grubs, mealworms, and wax worms are the top baits, while small jigs, spinners and flies are the most productive artificials.

Channel catfish reward anglers fishing in the summer and fall with nightcrawlers, clams and other baits. However, the largest fish found in this tranquil lake are carp, a species that grows to over 20 pounds in Pinto. Pinto Lake has 92 surface acres and is 30 feet at its deepest. There are two access points to the lake. The smaller Pinto Lake City Park, operated by the City of Watsonville, is situated at the south end. The larger Pinto Lake County Park is at the north end.

The county park has trails along the lakeshore that wind through stands of coast live oak, willow and eucalyptus trees. A small boardwalk provides views of the lake and the wetlands. Boaters regularly fish this section of the lake for bass and crappie, but I didn’t see any shore fishermen on my recent hike through the park.

The city park has the best, most expansive view of the lake. This is where the DFG plants the trout and where most of the shore anglers concentrate from the late fall through early summer when the fish are being stocked. This city park also features a family campground where both locals and visitors to the beautiful Monterey Bay area can camp.

A public boat launch is available at the City Park, as well as rowboat and paddleboat rentals. Bass boats and other craft with gasoline motors can be launched here.

“Many anglers bring an electric trolling motor with them and mount it on one of the row boats” said Peggy Stone, the manager of the city park. “Our only rules are no loud engines are allowed, while the boat speed limit is 5 mph.”

This is a great, peaceful lake to fish from a kayak, as well as observe over 100 species of birds, ranging from sparrows to ospreys, according to Stone. The Santa Cruz Birding Guide describes the different species, the habitat they frequent and the times of year they are found at Pinto; go to http://scbirdingguide.org/Pajaro%20Valley/Pinto%20Lake.htm.

Pinto Lake RV campground, located in the city park, provides a quiet, inexpensive alternative to a motel for anglers fishing the Monterey Bay region for salmon, rockfish, lingcod, halibut and other species. Information is available on Pinto Lake by contacting Pinto Lake City Park, 451 Green Valley Road, Watsonville, CA. 95076, 831-722-8129, www.pintolake.com, or Pinto Lake County Park, 757 Green Valley Road, Watsonville (831) 454-7956, www.scparks.com/parkfac/pinto.shtml.

Pinto Lake Facts

Location and size: Pinto Lake, located in the city of Watsonville in Santa Cruz Cruz County, is a natural, spring fed lake. It has 92 surface acres and is 30 feet at its deepest. Public access is available at Pinto Lake City Park and Pinto Lake County Park.

Pinto Lake City Park: located at 451 Green Valley Road, Watsonville, CA 95076, http://www.pintolake.com. Call (831) 722-8129 for more information or to make camping reservations.

Facilities and Activities: launch ramp, group picnic areas, pavilion (covered group BBQ), softball diamond, volleyball, horseshows, children’s playground and pedal and rowboats (seasonal).

RV Camping Rates: Two adults in one RV or trailer: $28.00 (includes one towing vehicle or car). Children 12 and under: free. Extra adults: $2.00. All 28 camping sites include: back-in sites, 50'x14' or larger on grass, electricity, water, sewer and cable and 30 amp power. The gate is locked at night; campers are provided keys.

Boating restrictions: No personal watercraft (jet skis), boating over 5 miles per hour or swimming are allowed. Boat launch fees are $4.00 for Watsonville residents, $6.00 for everybody else.

Pinto Lake County Park: located at 757 Green Valley Road, Watsonville, (831) 454-7956, www.scparks.com/parkfac/pinto.shtml.

Facilities and Activities: This 183 acre regional park has a fishing pier and surrounding nature trails, playground, two family picnic areas, and wheelchair accessible restrooms. Trail markers highlight the wildlife that can be viewed along the nature trail. Soccer fields and two pavilions with BBQs are available for rent

Reservable Picnic Areas: Pavillions A and B are perfect outdoor locations for family and company picnics. Available by reservation only. Capacity is 100. 1 Large barbecue and picnic tables are included. Walk-in reservations can be made at the Simpkins Family Swim Center at 979 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9am- 4pm.

Directions: From Highway 1 south, exit onto Airport Boulevard, on Green Valley Road make a left. From Highway 1 north, take the Airport Boulevard exit, turn left onto Airport Blvd to Green Valley Road, go left. You will go past Pinto Lake City Park and will see Pinto Lake County Park. Make a left turn into the park.