Fishing
Los Vaqueros Reservoir is one of the finest fishing destinations in northern California. Trout, catfish and stripers are can be found in abundance. Details on regular fish plants and reservoir conditions can be found here.
Win a prize for your fishing skills!
Whopper Mug rules are:
Trout must be 8 pounds to receive a mug, Striped Bass need to be at least 10 pounds and Catfish is at 12 pounds or more. Largemouth Bass remains at 5 pounds and must be released. ONLY a photo with a scale or a measuring tape showing the fish being at least 18” will count.
Facility Details
FISHING DETAILS:
TROUT
Shore anglers have the most success using garlic-scented Powerbait followed by night crawlers. Trolling is doing fairly well, especially in the backs of coves. Light tackle is essential for catching trout. 4-6-pound test is plenty. Fishing has been good. On days the winds allow boats, we have seen several limits and anglers with just a couple. Remember: The limit is 5 per angler for the day.
LARGEMOUTH BASS
Most anglers were focused on stripers or trout. Keep in mind that largemouth need to be 12 inches to be kept. Please release any big largemouth bass you might catch; they are the future of largemouth bass fishing in the reservoir. If you catch any undersized fish, please release them gently and allow them to mature. There have been reports that jigging near rocky shores has been successful.
STRIPERS
Striper fishing is mixed with both shakers and legal sized fish being caught from around the reservoir. Cut anchovies or shad is the bait of choice, either from shore or a boat. Cowboy Cove and Howden Cove seem to be the hot spot for stripers. Just a reminder, stripers need to be18 inches or more to be legal. Please release the small fish as quickly and carefully as possible. They are the future of our striped bass fishery.
CATFISH
Last plant was August 21st. For those wishing to target catfish, chicken liver and anchovies are the best choices of bait.There has been a steady number of catfish being caught around the reservoir. South Cove, Cowboy Cove and Oak Point have been mentioned by our anglers.
GENERAL
2023 Annual Parking Passes are available for a pro-rated price at the Marina, and the North Gate.
2023 CDFW Fishing Licenses are available for purchase at the Marina.
Need To Know
TROUT PLANT DATES:
—> May 10, 2024 <—
5/9 2K Mt. Lassen
4/25 2K Mt. Lassen
4/16 975 Lbs. CDFW
4/11 800 Lbs. CDFW
4/10 2K Mt. Lassen
3/26 2K Mt. Lassen
3/22 1500 lbs. CDFW
3/12 2K Mt. Lassen
2/27 2K Mt. Lassen
2/12 2K Mt. Lassen
2/7 1500 lbs. CDFW
1/30 2K Mt. Lassen
1/18 2K Mt. Lassen
1/4 1K CDFW
1/2 2K from Mt. Lassen
Annual Rate Information Found Here.
California State Fishing License: $17.02 daily (available for purchase at the marina).
More information and online purchase available here.
Anglers aged 16 and older are required to possess a valid California fishing license and fishing access permit.
View Fee Schedule
| Fee Name | Amount | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Entry and Parking | $6 | Daily Rate |
| Entry & Parking, Senior Rate | $4 | Daily Rate |
| Entry & Parking, CCWD Resident Rate | $4 | Daily Rate |
| Van (10-20 Passengers) | $12 | Daily Rate |
| Bus (21+ Passengers) | $20 | Daily Rate |
| Daily Fishing Access Permit | $6 | Daily Rate |
Boat Rentals
The watershed is available for recreation year-round. Stop by the Marina for refreshments before taking the family on a boat ride around the lake!
30% off electric motorboat rentals Tuesday – Thursday, non-holidays.
No personal watercraft (boats, canoes, kayaks and/or float tubes) are allowed on Los Vaqueros.
Facility Details
Boat rentals may be suspended when conditions are windy. Please call 925-371-2628 for weather status.
ALLOWABLE BAIT
Worms, nightcrawlers, crickets, grasshoppers, grubs, liver,
salmon eggs, PowerBait®, artificial lures and any bait
purchased at the Marina are allowed. No live bait other than
those listed above are allowed.
FISHING LIMITS
Catch and release is encouraged for largemouth bass.
Catfish 10
Trout 5
Striped Bass (minimum 18") 2
Bluegill/Sunfish 25
Crappie 25
Largemouth Bass (minimum 12") 5
Need To Know
No personal watercraft (boats, canoes, kayaks and/or float tubes) are allowed on Los Vaqueros.
To RENT A BOAT, you must be at least 21 years old and able to leave a deposit that will be refunded when the boat is returned.
Please refer to the CCWD website for complete Rules & Regulations.
View Fee Schedule
| Fee Name | Amount | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Pontoon Boat | $50 | Hourly |
| Electric Pontoon Boat | $115 | Half-Day (3-5 Hours) |
| Electric Pontoon Boat | $165 | Full-Day (5+ Hours) |
| 16’ Electric Motor Boat | $25 | Hourly |
| 16’ Electric Motor Boat | $50 | Half-Day (3-5 Hours) |
| 16’ Electric Motor Boat | $70 | Full-Day (5+ Hours) |
| Security Deposit | $65 | 16’ Electric Motor Boat |
| Security Deposit | $150 | Electric Pontoon Boat |
Park Store
The Marina Store is open, hours: 6AM to 8:00PM daily! You can come inside for your bait and tackle needs. All the usual refreshments and Los Vaqueros gear are available.
Stop inside for your annual pass! Available now at the Marina and North Gate.
Interpretive Center
Visit the Interpretive Center for a fascinating journey through the rich cultural and natural histories of the watershed.
Evidence of human occupation in this region stretches back almost 10,000 years, placing the watershed among some of the earliest known sites of human activity in California. Native Americans living in the watershed were protected by the hilly terrain and relied on the water they found in creeks and springs. They established multi-family communities and hunted, fished and gathered seeds, acorns and other plants for food.
To learn more about the cultural history of Los Vaqueros Watershed, read From Rancho to Reservoir on ccwater.com.
Facility Details
EARLY RESIDENTS OF LOS VAQUEROS
Records kept by Franciscan priests show that the early residents of Los Vaqueros were either Volvons (speakers of the Bay Miwok language) or Ssaoams (speakers of the Costanoan language).
DRAMATIC CHANGE IN WATERSHED
At the end of the 18th century, Spain’s 300-year expansion into North and South America reached land that is now in the city of Fremont, about 40 miles south of the watershed. A group of Spanish missionaries built Mission San Jose in 1797 and began working to convert indigenous people to Christianity and establish an economy with which Spain could trade.
It only took a few years for the reach of Mission San Jose to extend into the watershed. Missionaries traveled to the watershed and urged the native people to move to the mission. The native people had mixed reactions; some were willing to move, but others were not. Those who resisted were forced to move, and within several years, no native people were left in the watershed.
“VALLEY OF THE COWBOYS”
The Mexican government, which took control of California in 1821, took over the mission in 1834. By 1844, the watershed was a Mexican rancho. The name Los Vaqueros comes from the Mexican land grant name, Cañada
de los Vaqueros, or Valley of the Cowboys. By the late 1960s, farming had stopped and the watershed was used primarily for livestock grazing. To this day, grazing continues in the watershed to manage grasslands.
For 150 years before the reservoir was developed, the land was worked for ranching and farming, primarily by European immigrants and their descendants.
Hiking & Exploring
The Los Vaqueros Watershed consists of 18,500 acres of protected watershed land surrounding the 1,900-acre Los Vaqueros Reservoir. The reservoir stores up to 160,000 acre-feet of water for Contra Costa Water District customers in Central and Eastern Contra Costa County.
Pack a lunch and set foot on more than 50 miles of trails with breath-taking vistas! Bring your binoculars to one of the area’s premier bird-watching locations.
Need To Know
Please observe the speed limit driving into the marina! Our wildlife (Deer) is routinely looking for water and crossing our roads. Please help us protect them. They can cause significant damage to your vehicle if hit as well.
Please, pack it in/pack it out. This includes fishing lines. We appreciate everyone’s effort to keep our watershed clean!
