Weather: Weather at the lake has been ranging from the 70s to about 93 degrees. The water surface temperature in the marina area is 80 degrees.

Clarity of water: TThe water has been clearing up around the Marina and clarity will increase as you get closer to the dam. The water level is higher than normal for this time of year.

Hot spots: The hot spots have been the Narrows and near the dam.

WHAT BAIT TO USE!!

Stripers - Anchovies, Sardines

Catfish - Chicken Liver, Anchovies, Sardines and Night Crawlers. Catfish tend to not be interested in any lures.

Trout - Power bait, Night Crawlers, have been working well. Trout also love lures such as Panther Martins, Kastmaster, Rooster Tails, and all types of small Spinners, Atomic Tubes

Largemouth/ Smallmouth - Plastic Worms have been a good choice, another good choice is Jigs or Drop Shots, various spinners

Crappie/Panfish - Night Crawlers, Redworms, and little Micro Jigs have been working good as well.

Don’t forget that to fish at Lake Del Valle, everyone ages 16 and older must have a Lake Del Valle Fishing permit and a California Fishing License. The Lake Del Valle permit is $5.00 per day. They can be purchased at either the entry kiosk or the Marina/Bait Store. The California Fishing License is $17.54 per day or $54.00 per year for a Resident of California. The California Fishing License can be purchased at the Marina/Bait Store. Also, a reminder after all fish plants please make sure you wait 2 hours before fishing the plant.

The fish are biting! We got this fantastic write up from Dr. Al Hurwitz At last! The Smallies are hitting!

On 8/18/22, Paul Clouse of Lafayette and Al Hurwitz of Saratoga caught 10 Smallmouth Bass and 4 Bluegills while trolling Lake Del Valle. As some of you may summarize 2022 has been a slow year for my fishing buddies and me trying to catch Smallies on the troll. This year had been a marked departure from earlier years, when catching 15-20 Smallmouths a day was not uncommon.

Well, today changed that. Trolling 1/4 oz. Feathered Panther Martin Spinners along the eastern shoreline of the lake, particularly just off grassy areas, both Smallmouth Bass and Bluegills jumped all over the lures. The size of the fish was impressive: 6 of the 10 Smallies were over 2 pounds, and the Bluegills averaged 1/2 pound. Surprisingly, the fish were shallow in 18-20 feet of water despite the lake having dropped several feet and the surface temperature a tepid 76-77 plus degrees. We trolled the spinners about 15 feet below the surface and occasionally picked up grass, but it was worth it. We had one double and one triple “hits” today! As always, we applied scent to the lures. I think the fish were “lying in the weeds (grass)”, waiting to ambush baits gliding by. Despite the hot weather which I thought would drive the fish into deeper water, they seemed to be located and staying cool in the vegetation in areas near change of depth drop-offs. A fun day which restored my faith in the Lake as a great Smallmouth fishery. Hopefully, today’s experience will continue over the months ahead!

Thank you, Dr. Al!