I'm heading to Calaveras tomorrow for the first time. First, how much is the fee to put it/park? I guess there is only one location to put in? I'll be fishing out of a canoe, so can anyone give any advice on where to fish within a mile of boat landings? I'm after cats. I will have a cast net for bait and some DK's. I'm not looking for anyone's honey holes, just maybe some general locations where I might put a few in the cooler. I appreciate any help!

Kyle,
Here is a website for the lake with the prices.

http://www.sara-tx.org/site/parks/calaveras.php

With a canoe, you can put in anywhere. Just work the banks under the overhanding trees and around the submerged timber. The cats are pretty scattered.

If you can put your canoe in without a ramp, take a left once you enter the park and go toward the dam. There is an area for jetskis and Kayaks/Canoes. Once in the water, follow the dam and fish about 1' to 2' from the rocks in about 18" of water using a bobber. Go to the other end of the dam to the trees and fish the trees. Rig up about 18" and cast about 2' from the bank or in the shade under the trees. Should be able to catch some cats under the trees. I usually use nightcrawlers and do real well. You need to buy them at Wal-Mart or someplace else because the park has quit selling them.

Good luck and post up your results.

SportFisher

Funny thing sportfisher, even though I didn't read your advice until I got back, I pretty much fished your pattern anyhow for most of the morning. Started out working the rip rap along the dam for a couple of hours. Ended up catching 7 channels, kept 6 that were 13". Nothing big, all on DK's. Then got to the trees, only caught a couple more 13 inchers around the trees. I'll post the rest of the report on the fishing report section later.

If you fish the tree lines in Apr, May and Jun before it get too hot, you will kill the cats. Have caught 30 - 40+ fish many a times (out of my Kayak) with many going 18 - 20". Traded in the kayak for the Hurricane.....only been fishing a couple of times out of it...right now I probably need to go deeper and then shallower come fall.

See ya on the water,
SportFisher

I fished Calaveras for 6 years before moving to Dallas area. I did only bank fishing so if oyu need some spots on the bank let me know.

3Card

3 CARD, never had any luck on the bank at Calaveras, Can you share your hot spots? Thanks

Diablito

The biggest fish I caught off the bank was a 10.2 blue cat. I was fishing at night off the point to the right of the first boat ramp right by the lake entrance. you have to park and carry all your gear down to the point. once down there there are some good spots on the right side facing the #2 boat ramp. I caught most of the good fish on that right side past the last tree casting toward the opposite point. it falls off pretty deep if you can cast pretty far. I caught the blue on cut tilapia and we caught a bunch of eating size channels all around the front of that point on punch bait. That lake is a great lake for eating size cats on punch bait. All the bigger fish I have hooked into have been on that one rod I would put out off the right side of that point with cut tilapia. this was also on hot summer nights so good luck.

3card

Try going out to the wall. fish about 15ft down never fails for me on DK's. I Average 15 to 20 eating size channels and blues. Good luck!

I was wondering about that Gonzo. I've only been to the wall twice in my two trips to the lake, so I was too hyped up trying to catch those reds to drop any cat baits down there. But I figured with all the shad in there, there would be blues and channels. Definitely will try that next time. Do you ever hook into any blue cats off the wall? I'll drop some cut shad down there next time. Thanks for the advice!