Spicer Meadow Reservoir Tuolumne County
VOL . 42 • ISS . 10 |
Map Feature |
July 14 , 2023 |
11 |
Spicer Reservoir Facts
Size and Location : The 189,000 acre foot reservoir is formed by New Spicer Meadow Dam on Highland Creek , a tributary of the North Fork of the Stanislaus River , at 6620 feet in elevation . It has a surface area of 2,000 acres when full . The reservoir is situated eight miles southwest of Highway 4 on Spicer Reservoir Road in the Stanislaus National Forest .
History : The reservoir is a relatively new one , since the 262 foot tall rock-fill dam was completed on Highland Creek in 1989 and filled in 1990 . Additional water is diverted from the North Fork of the Stanislaus River by the North Fork Diversion Dam and a two-mile tunnel . Calaveras County Water District ( CCWA ) owns the dam . Water from the reservoir supplies drinking water and water for irrigation in Calaveras County . The water district , along with the Northern California Power Agency ( NCPA ) sells electricity from the 6-MW hydroelectric plant at the base of the dam .
Boating Facilities and Regulations : A boat ramp with turnaround area and movable dock is available when the lake is full . No overnight mooring is permitted . Maximum speed on the western portion of the lake is 10 mph ; the eastern portion , surrounded by the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness , is managed for non-motorized uses only .
Supplies : Gas , groceries , and camping supplies are available in Arnold , Camp Connell , and Bear Valley .
Camping : A Wilderness Permit ( available at the District Office free of charge ) is required for shoreline camping in the eastern ( non-motorized ) portion of the lake .
Spicer Reservoir Campground : located at 6,200 feet on a timbered setting on the shore of Spicer Reservoir . There are 43 total campsites . The maximum vehicle length is 50 ’, the maximum length of stay is 14 days and the maximum use is six persons per single unit site , with several multiple units for small groups . Piped water , restrooms , vault toilets , tables , picnic table , stoves , BBQ grills are available . Reservations are first-come , first-served . The campground is open from June to October , weather permitting .
National Forest Information : Calaveras Ranger District , P . O . Box 500 , Hathaway Pines , CA 95233 , ( 209 ) 795-1381 , http :// www . fs . fed . us / r5 / stanislaus / calaveras / camping / spicer . shtml
Fishing Information : Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods , ( 209 ) 795-1686
Spicer Meadow Reservoir Tuolumne County
To Hiway 4 Markleeville & Arnold
Protect Fragile Shoreline Camp 100 feet from water ’ s edge
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Spicer Meadow Reservoir
Fishing Notes
• Rainbow Trout are the dominant species in Spicer Meadow Reservoir . The DFG plants approximately 50,000 rainbow fingerlings each year . No catchable rainbows or other species of trout are planted in the reservoir . Bank fishing is best on the area near the boat ramp or the dam . Nightcrawlers , Power Bait and salmon eggs are good baits to try . Casting spinners , Kastmasters and flies under plastic bubbles is also worth a try . Trollers find the top action with nightcrawlers behind blades and flashers or minnow imitation lures such as Sparkefish , Needlefish , Cripplures , Triple Teazers , Rapalas and Thomas Buoyants . Float tubing is effective for fly fishermen using Wooly Buggers , beadhead nymphs and black ants .
• Brook & BrownTrout have been reported in the lake , but 99 percent of the fish caught at Spicer are rainbows . For brook trout , fish the Highland Lakes on Highland Creek , a tributary of Spicer , in the Ebbetts Pass high country .
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10 mph Western arm No motorized boating in Eastern arm of reservoir
Dan Bacher had a great afternoon catching rainbow trout like these from the bank at Spicer Reservoir on June 25 .
Photo by Dan Bacher
Dustin Neuman successfully battled these rainbows while bait fishing from a boat at Spicer Reservoir .
Photo by Dan Bacher
River watershed . When the expanded reservoir first filled in 1990 , the influx of nutrients into the reservoir created a relatively rich food chain that allowed rainbows to grow to large size , including some fish in the 3 to 5 pound class . However , the lake ’ s nutrients have declined over recent years , accounting for smaller , though still healthy fish in the catches . The CDFW has stocked Spicer since 1953 for recreational fishing . Historically , Spicer was stocked with rainbow trout and brook trout . Currently , CDFW only stocks fingerling- size rainbow and brown trout in Spicer , which is managed as a “ put and grow ” fishery , said Ewing . “ Spicer currently has a recreational fishery including brook trout , Lahontan cutthroat trout ( LCT ), brown trout |
( BN ) and rainbow trout ( RT ),” Ewing stated . “ Historically , Spicer had a brown bullhead fishery . Spicer is open year-round with a five-trout bag limit with 10 in possession regulation .” In order to assess the fishery , CDFW installed an angler survey box ( ASB ) at the public launch ramp in 2015 . Anglers were asked to complete a voluntary survey form related to their fishing experience . In a report completed by Ewing in December 2017 , he noted the catch per angler for bait anglers was higher than any other form of gear used in 2018 , which also had the highest catch per angler average in 2015 .. “ Most fish caught were RT for a third consecutive sampling season , which is consistent with the stocking records ,” he stated . “ Although RT |
continue to be the greatest single species caught , Lahontan cutthroat trout made up 36.4 % of the total catch in 2018 . This indicates Spicer has a large , wild LCT population .” Although Spicer continues to have high catch rates , the great majority of fish caught continue to be under 16 inches , noted Ewing . “ It is unknown why there have been so few trophy-size fish being caught . Salmonids are generally considered as opportunists . New Spicer is a large reservoir with a large population of baitfish , including golden shiner and speckled dace that would likely be a great forage base for trout . Although few-trophy- size fish have been reported , it is possible they are being caught and not being reported or present , but not being caught ,” |
Ewing wrote . “ Anglers at Spicer have the opportunity to catch a variety of catchable-size salmonids that are in great physical shape and often fight with greater force than a ‘ put and take ’ hatchery trout ,” he concluded . I have found the best fishing on this lake during the spring and early summer after the lake becomes accessible and then again in the fall just before the snow arrives . While I have caught fish here in the morning , I find the best time to hit the lake is in the late afternoon just before dark . For more information about fishing Spicer Reservoir and other Ebbetts Pass Region waters , contact Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods at ( 209 ) 795-1686 , https :// ebbettspasssportinggoods . com . |