VOL. 37 • ISS. 09 |
MAP FEATURE |
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April 13- 27, 2018 |
29 |
Rancho Seco Facts
Location: in the rolling hills of southeastern Sacramento County east of Herald. From Sacramento, take Highway 99 south to the Highway 104 exit. Go east on Highway 104, 15 miles, to the Rancho Seco Park exit.
Fishing Season: The park is open year round to fishing and other activities from 7 a. m. to 6 p. m. The park entrance gate is locked nightly. Day Use: The day use fee is $ 12 per vehicle. Boat launching facilities: The park’ s 160-acre lake is maintained at a constant level year round, so you will find no problem launching. You can launch an electric motor boat, rowboat or sailboat from either of the two boat ramps. The boat launch fee for a trailer and vehicle is $ 15. The fee for car top launch kayak is $ 15.
Tent Camping: There are 20 lakeside campsites where you can pitch a tent or sleep under the stars. Each campsite has a barbecue, picnic table and drinking water. A semi-private 1-1 / 4 acre grassy area is available for group campovers and special events. Reservations are required at least two weeks in advance.
RV Camping: The southwestern rim of the park features 18 RV campsites. Each site has a barbecue, fire pit, picnic table, drinking water and electrical outlets. A dump station is conveniently located. The maximum stay is 14 days.
Picnic Facilities: One hundred shady, grassy picnic areas adorn the lake’ s southern shore. Picnic tables and barbecues are available on a first come basis. Picnic areas can be reserved for groups of 30 people or more.
Swimming: the lake is roped off along a 36,000 square foot sandy beach. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer. Children should always be supervised by a responsible adult.
Extras: General Store( open May-September), solar heated showers, fish cleaning station, 3 public restrooms, horseshoe pit, Rec. Room with washer and dryer( for overnight campers only), handicapped access.
Information: 24 hour informational recording,( 209) 748-2318; RV, tent and group camping and picnic reservations, 800-416-6992.
To Hiways 104, 99 and I-5
Sacramento
Twin Cities Rd
Entrance
Area Map
Clay Station Road
Clay
Herald
Rancho Seco Recreational Area
Dam
Maintenance Office
B
C
Ramp Dock
Swimming Beach
A
Paved Road
Horseshoes
Rancho Seco Recreational Area
Sacramento County
Group Campsites Dump Station RV Camps Tent Camps Fish Cleaning Windsurf shop Parking Restrooms Picnic Areas General Store
Fishing Notes
• Rainbow Trout are planted from late fall through early spring in a cooperative program between the DFW and SMUD. Bank fishing is good for anglers tossing out Kastmasters, PowerBait, nightcrawlers and Pautzke salmon eggs. Float tubers and boaters find success with Wooly Buggers and flies as well as bait and lures.
• Largemouth Bass fishing is best during the spring, though the fish can be caught year round. During the winter, fish jigs, plastic worms and grubs slowly in the deeper areas of the lake. Some Florida-strain fish over 10 pounds are caught every year.
• Redear Sunfish action is most productive in the spring and summer. Fish worms and mini jigs at the edge of weedbeds. Fishing from a float tube or a boat is most effective. Crappie and bluegill are also found in the lake.
Supplied by the Folsom South Canal diverting water from the American River, Rancho Seco was built to serve as a source for emergency cooling water in the event of a nuclear accident. After the power plant was decommissioned in a ballot measure approved by the region’ s voters in November 1990, the lake became a year-round recreational facility.
Rancho Seco not only kicks out huge trout, but also is legendary for the big Florida-strain largemouth bass that thrive
Chris Martinez won first place in the adult division on day one with this beautiful 7.93 lb. trout, receiving a new boat, motor and trailer package for his efforts.
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.
in its fertile waters. The largest bass are taken in the spring during the pre-spawn, spawn and post spawn periods. Anglers nail them while using Huddleston and other rainbow trout swimbaits, Senkos, swimbaits, plastic worms, spinnerbaits and jigs. Rancho Seco is a lake with the potential for producing a state or world record largemouth bass. The lake has the three characteristics needed to produce record class fish: Florida-strain genes; conditions that allow the fish to reach large size; and a good food source, particularly planted rainbows.
The lake also features good populations of redear sunfish, black crappie and bluegill, along with channel catfish. Fishing for all four species is best for boaters, float tubers and shore anglers in the spring and summer.
The park sits in the middle of an oak woodland with oak trees dominating the horizon when looking away from the lake. Below the oaks, a variety of grasses and flowering plants grow especially near the vernal pool locations. The lake shore has a thick barrier of blackberry bushes everywhere except the dam and the picnic / camping areas.
Ducks and geese swim in the recreation areas where the shore is clear. Great blue heron eat the fish from the lake. Bald eagles and hawks nest in the trees surrounding the lake. Many insects are present including drag-
Al Ermst, SMUD Facilities and Maintenance Supervisor, Sheldon Bright of the Fish Sniffer and Gonzalo Roberts pose with the kayak that Roberts won on day one for placing first in the kids division.
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. onflies and grasshoppers. Raccoons are a notable mammal using the lake as a water source, with their droppings dispersed along the narrow animal trails cutting across the park.
On August 16, 2015, Brad McGarity of Galt set a new California state record for“ hybrid sunfish” when he landed a fish weighing 1 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 11 inches long and 11.25 inches in girth.
Rocky Mountain Recreation Company is the concessionaire at Rancho Seco. The lake’ s amenities now feature boat rentals including aluminumfishing boats with electric motors, paddle boats, and kayaks.
Fishing at the family oriented facility, now operated by the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company in conjunction with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District,( SMUD), is available year-round.
For more information about the Rancho Seco Recreational Area, call 209-748-2318 or visit http://
www. rockymountainrec. com / lakes / lake-rancho-seco. htm or https:// www. smud. org / en / aboutsmud / community / recreational-areas / rancho-seco-lake. htm
Carlos Nazario took first place in the adult division on day two of the SMUD derby with his 6.36 lb. trout.
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.