Fishing

Fishing Spots

Putah Creek
Lake Berryessa
Sacramento River
American River
Folsom Lake
Knights Landing

Night Fishing
Fishing Equipment and Bait
Catch and Release
Fishing Regulations
Photos
See Also

There are many places in and around Davis to do some good anglin' and to get equipped.

Fishing Spots

Putah Creek

Lower (Old Davis Road/Camp Putah)
The parts of Putah Creek just outside of town are very easy to get to. Fish can be fairly plentiful, though quality and size tend toward the low end. It's a good place to go if you're feeling lazy and just want to catch something. Many people use the Old Davis Road bridge as a starting point, parking just off the road and following footpaths down to the creek. Another option is to park at Camp Putah. These parts of the creek tend to have a lot of tree structure or tule where fish like to hide. The majority of the fish are bluegill, crappie, smallmouth bass, catfish and carp. Occationally, largemouth bass can be caught out of the lower creek, though they are more rare. Large night crawlers and chicken liver are excellent baits. Lures are usable, but watch out for snags. Be careful about eating fish though, the creek tends to be somewhat polluted here and eating is not recommended.
Upper (Between Winters and Berryessa, Lake Solano)
The upper parts of Putah Creek tend to have clearer, swifter water, though a few areas have slower, sometimes stagnant pools. The fish can be harder to catch than lower parts, but they can be bigger and nicer. Species include bluegill, bass, crappie, catfish and brown trout. Lake Solano and Lake Berryessa are stocked by the Department of Fish and Game with rainbow trout. Typical baits include large night crawlers, salmon roe, Powerbait, lures and spinners. Winters has a couple of good stores. This area is very beautiful and is a nice place if you want to feel more outdoorsy.
Upper Putah Creek is best fished to the west of Winters. Take Covell west (it will turn into Road 32 west of Davis). Follow Road 32 through Winters and continue toward lake Berryessa. Eventually, the road will parallel Putah Creek with various places to pull off. Lake Solano will be one of the first pull offs, and includes a small bait store. Beyond there, for approximately 8 miles, there are a number of different stops, many of which are maintained by the county and very nice.

Lake Berryessa is a bit more challenging to fish than other spots. There are a number fingers that are inaccessible by foot. During drought years, the water gets pretty low and fishing from the bank can be hot and unprotected from the sun. It is best fished by boat, trawling spinners, otherwise fishing below the dam is much nicer. Besides that, Berryessa is a very pretty lake when the water is high.

Sacramento River

Freeport
The Freeport area is an excellent spot or both bank fishing and fishing from a boat. The river features many types of structures, including tule, docks, bridges, dams and riprap; all great hiding spots for fish. The river can be swift, so watch out for snags and bring extra line. Species include catfish, bass, sturgeon and salmon; all of which can get extremely large. Good baits include large night crawlers, minnows, crayfish, salmon roe, Powerbait, and chicken liver. A net also comes in handy here. According to the Department of Fish and Game, Freeport is technically part of the Delta and requires a Bay-Delta stamp.
To get there, take I-80 to Sacramento and go south on I-5. Exit I-5 at Florin Rd and turn left. Make a right at Freeport (about a 1/4 mile) and drive south. The town of Freeport is about a mile from Florin Road. There is a drawbridge in the middle of town and both sides of the river are good fishing. If you park off the levee road, make sure you are safely off the asphalt. Its a dangerous road, especially at night.

American River

Nimbus Dam
Many fish like to hang out in the cold waters below the dam, including lots of trout, making this is a popular place for fly fishing. The dam sits at the western end of Lake Natoma in Sacramento. The area also gets very crowded during salmon runs in the fall. Good bait includes flies, spinners, and salmon roe and powerbait. There is a fish hatchery there that's open to the public and its a great place to take kids. The hatchery is also the regional headquarters for the Department of Fish and Game.
To get there, take I-80 to hwy 50 in Sacramento. Exit 50 at Hazel and head north. The Hazel crosses the river about a mile later with Lake Natoma on the right and the Nimbus Fish Hatchery on the left.

Folsom Lake

Fishing here is kinda slow and the powerboats can be a little annoying. Try the Nimbus Dam.

Knights Landing

The Sacramento River flows through the city of Knights Landing, providing bait stores and easy fishing access to the river. A popular place is the marina on the north side of town. It features a dam and riprap structures. Many irrigation sloughs north of town also provide excellent fishing and can be a little quieter. Catfish are by far the most abundant fish in the area, though bass and sturgeon swim through as well. Use large night crawlers, minnows or chicken liver. This is a good place to take kids. Its fairly easy to get in and out and you're almost guaranteed to catch something. Parts of the river and many sloughs are polluted, however, so avoid eating anything you catch.

Knights Landing is about 45 minutes north of Davis. The easiest way to get there is from Pole line Road. Pole line turns into Road 102 just north of Davis, continues to Woodland, and then out to Knights Landing. The best spots are just north of town, in the marina or along any of the sloughs.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry it is recommended that pregnant women should not eat fish out of Lake Berryessa or Putah Creek due to high concentrations of mercury.

Night Fishing

The bridge over Upper Putah Creek at Lake Solano, near the gas station/ bait shop. The bridge is semi-lit and relatively quiet at night and a nice spot to fish.

Fishing Equipment and Bait

Catch and Release

Due to the potential water pollution in Putah Creek, Lake Berryessa and other water sources, a catch and release technique is recommended. This is not only good for the fisherman but it is good for the environment. In many areas catch and release is a regulation enforced to preserve certain species. If a fish is too small or the fisherman has a regulated amount of fish already, they are required to release it. However a fish cannot survive a release in many cases, so there are several recommendations on how to properly use lures (circle hooks instead of J hooks, pinch down the barbs) and how to hold the fish, special nets, how to undo a hook, or when to leave the hook in the fish.

How to do it properly
C & R Mortality Study
Wikipedia: Catch and Release

Fishing Regulations

General
Like most states, California uses fishing regulations to help protect and preserve natural resources and wildlife. People over the age of 16 are generally required to wear a fishing license while fishing. Licenses must be displayed above the waist and clearly visible, (most people wear them on a lanyard or pinned to their shirt or hat), as required in California Code Title 14, § 700. In certain cases, when species or habitat require extra protection, special stamps must be purchased and added to your license, for example, fishing in the delta needs a bay-delta sport fishing stamp.

In addition to licensing, some areas may have limits on the number or size of fish you may catch. Other regulations may bar certain types or hooks, such as treble or barbed. Its a good idea to be familiar with the regulations in your area to avoid tickets and fines. Check a regulation booklet for full requirements.

Regulation booklets are good to keep in a tackle box. These are small, and available for free at most bait shops. They are also downloadable on the California Fish and Game website as a pdf (see links below). Regulations can vary slightly from year to year, so its good to pick up a booklet at the beginning of the year and review the laws around your usual spots. If you are trying out a new location, check your book for any special rules before you go.

links

Photos

(post your catches here)