So, can anybody tell me how bank fishing conditions are??

I used to like fishing Calaveras during the week but it got so bad crowded, and I dont do combat fishing

I would gladly pay the fee for a quite bank fishing spot

The bank fishing isn't all that large of an area where you can get some solitude. They closed off much of the park on the road that went up toward the power lines and in doing that they took away most of the decent bank fishing areas as we once knew it. Doesn't make much sense, and it takes away some prime fishing area where a kayaker could fish and stay out of the winds. Too far to paddle up that far and you'd never make it back against a strong headwind launching from the dam area as it now stands.
As far as cost, they never maintained that road anyway with all the money they brought in back in the early days when the line backed up at the gate all the way to 1604, and they rarely patrolled the area as well so nothing is different as far as security.
Funny how that works, and a sign of the times where you pay more and get less.

They definitely do not do a great job of maintaining the park but I think most folks are more concerned with the revenue they generate to keep stocking the redfish. I don't bank fish there but fishing on the water has been great lately. My son and I stop counting at 30 redfish yesterday with most 18-24 inch but quite a few over 30. Those are the days that make up for the slow ones! There was some much appreciated fishing etiquette yesterday because every time we found a school no one jumped on top of us until we reset to cool off and grab some water. I've only fished the lake since I arrived two years ago but it's a fantastic resource once you learn patterns and be willing to try different baits, colors and presentations.

Russcue...Now that is encouraging, reminds me of the old days. I have got into them, where I said "no More" they'll wear you out. Down rigging ? Were they feeding on the surface ?
Roger

No downrigging yesterday but I have caught many that way and the guides were yesterday as well. It's a weird pattern but it happened last summer too but I find them in very shallow water this time of year. I watched the birds feeding for bait near the shorelines and then look for all the normal signs of schooling redfish. Trick is to find the artificials that "[censored]" them off enough to hit. A few boats that moved in when we took a break we're throwing live and dead bait at them but I never saw them put one in the boat. The water in the shallows is about 93 degrees right now!!!

I've gone out there the last three weeks on Saturday mornings and all the boat are ganged up in the small cove just around telephone pole point. It's not a big cove and I counted 12 boats in that one area today alone.
Usually they fish the road bed just off the point, but as of late everyone is in that cove.

The 181 cove with the spillway, use to be the "hot" cove. I haven't been out there in quite sometime, but I noticed s change in their patterns back then. My old reliable "honey holes" weren't so "honey" anymore.

Roger pm sent

The cove where everyone is fishing now is the little cove just around the corner toward the dam from the old 181 cove.
I always caught a lot of cats when they were pumping at 181 cove next to the outlet and again at the mouth of that cove.
I've fished that cove toward the dam from 181 cove which by the way runs up to 181 also, and caught cats there and would accidentally catch a red or two, but the guides would just about run you over as they circled around and around while you would be anchored on a spot.
They have no shame!

Disclaimer: I anchored on the spot before any boats were visible in the area and had no idea I was anchored on "their spot" but evidently I was from the number of boats I attracted.

Talked to a buddy of mine who fishes there a lot and he said the reds are hot right now and hitting lures such as rattle traps near the surface.
He said you might need to fight off the guides with a stick though as they are ganged up in that cove near the dam as I mentioned above.
I also heard someone called the GW on some guides that were getting too close!
Fish at your own risk!

Jimbo...PM sent

Finally got back out again yesterday and with all the rain the water temps were down about 8-10 degrees depending on the depths. If you haven't been it lately the wall now has a barbed wire fence all the way across it but I still saw some folks fishing right under it. Everyone is fishing 181 cove and as long as you get there early you can find the fish pretty easy on a fishfinder. My son and I put 38 slot fish on the boat yesterday and had a blast and we didn't fish 181 at all. We found some bait in shallow water and worked artificials and we're off the water by 1100. Another great day!

Sad to read about Calaveras dropping off, at least for some. I haven't been there in many years but I considered trying it again really soon. Not sure it's even worth the trip.

Kat, if you were thinking of fishing calaveras I would say now is a good time to get out there. Fishing has been great by boat and I've heard good reports about bank fiahing as well but never done it.

Friends of mine fished Cally last week and the three of them limited out on Reds! They also drifted for catfish and ended up with 10 nice ones.



Side Note: They said that the crappie wall is completely closed off to anglers!