Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3802 Jan 4-18 | Page 19

Quarry Lake Facts Swim Area Entry Rainbow Lake Old ek Cre Volunteer Recognition Center Willow Slough Entry Gate a Tr c Rancho Arroyo Pk il a ed am Al Niles Gate a Tr 3rd St St Shinn Pond Lago Los Osos No fishing or Water Contact In Los Osos or Willow Slough Sequoia Bridge Creek Alameda Blvd cifi Lo s Pa Com Ce rk m rr & un ito Ce it s nt y er il Bald Cypress Grove Pa Horseshoe Lake l Tra i r. 2nd Isherwood Staging Area o Mission Blvd Niles ra D Western Ensenada Rivie ek ni Cal Nursery Historic Park Ac stric ce te ss d Cre or Rock Re lif W ay Pk Office Alameda Creek Trail Park Office Ca d. Accessible Pier s Blv Orchard Nile Main Park Entrance More Information: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/quarry_lakes/ default.htm, (510) 544-3130 Disabled Beach Access Boating: Sailboards/stand-up paddle boards, canoes, kayaks, and boats with electric-powered motors may be launched into Horseshoe Lake from the boat launch. Since the lakes are used for groundwater recharge, gasoline-powered engines are not allowed to enter the park by regulation of the Alameda County Water District even if you don’t plan on using the gas motor. There is a launch fee. All watercraft must be inspected prior to launching. Float tubes may be launched into Horseshoe Lake and Rainbow Lake. Persons using float tubes must wear waders or other wet-suit material to prevent body contact with the water. Arroyo Park Picnicking: Picnic sites with tables and barbecues are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservable sites are also available. Reservable sites include Ensenada North and South, which are pavilion-shaded sites that accommodate up to 200 people each; Osprey and Lampert Knoll, which accommodates 50; and Niles (alcohol not allowed), which accommodates 35. For information or reservations call 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327- 2757, press option 2. City of Fremont, Alameda County Lead Weight Exchange Policy: Please note that the use of lead fishing weights is prohibited at Quarry Lakes . In partnership with the Alameda County Water District, the Quarry Lakes Lead Fishing Tackle Awareness and Exchange Program was created to educate local anglers on the hazards of using lead fishing tackle and to provide the opportunity for a no-cost exchange of toxic lead split-shot weights and sinkers for lead-free split- shot weights and sinkers. The kiosk attendant will exchange weights at any time the kiosk is open, currently 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. They will exchange one-for-one of the following items, (maximum 15 items per visit): splitshot; egg weights, ¼, 3/8, ½, ¾, 1 oz.; bullet weights 1/8, and ¼ oz. Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area risbu er Fishing Regulations: Fishing is permitted ONLY in the Recreational Unit of Quarry Lakes, which includes Horseshoe Lake and Rainbow Lake. A California Fishing License is required for all anglers aged 16 and above. An EBRPD Daily Fishing Access Permit is also required for all anglers age 16 and over. The Daily Fishing Access Permit may be purchased at the park entry kiosk. Daily Fishing Access Permit sales fund the planting of trout and catfish in Horseshoe Lake. For fish planting schedule, see the Angler’s Edge Online. Note that daily bag limits apply at all fishing locations. 17 January 4-18, 2019 MAP FEATURE VOL.38 • ISS. 2 il a Tr Niles Comm. Park eek Cr Model Mariners Pvt Model Boat Facility Kaiser Pond FREMONT da lame A Fishing Notes • Horseshoe and Rainbow lakes are both open to fishing, while Lago Los Osos is maintained as a wildlife refuge, with no fishing allowed. Horseshoe Lake is the most popular of the two fishing lakes, since it is stocked with rainbows by the East Bay Municipal Park District every week during the fall, winter and spring. When the water warms up in the summer, the lake is planted with both rainbow trout and channel catfish. •Rainbow Trout fishing is good throughout the year, but the most consistent fishing is in the winter and spring. Bank anglers catch rainbows with PowerBait, nightcrawlers, Panther Martins, Kastmasters and other lures. Float tube fishing is productive for fly fishermen using Wooly Buggers, nymphs and a variety of dry flies. Boating is limited to boats with electric motors. • Channel Catfish action is best during the summer and early fall. Fish nightcrawlers, mackerel and Power Bait. • Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass and Bluegill are found in both Horseshoe and Rainbow lakes. Use spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plastic worms and swimbaits for the bass and small jigs and red worms for the sunfish. eration with former tackle shop owner Jon Walton, volunteers from the Black Bass Action Committee and local scout troops for several years. “In 2013-2015, the District installed Christmas trees on the western shore of Horseshoe Lake to provide better habitat for fish. While this project has since been cancelled, we hope that the installation of these Christmas tree reefs in Horseshoe Lake provide important nursery rearing areas for fish,” said Culver. “Indeed, we saw a large increase in the number of sampled juvenile large- mouth bass and smaller size-class bluegill (>75mm in length) in Horseshoe Lake in 2016 that may be related to the installation of these Christmas tree reefs.” While Horseshoe yields bass to those who target them, Rainbow has the most productive bass fishery. “Rainbow Lake continues to support the highest numbers of large- Trevor Krug shows off a beautiful smallmouth bass that he mouth bass, (primarily landed in Horseshoe Lake Photo courtesy of EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT. young of the year), out of all the Quarry Lakes,” said Culver. ineffective, However, the presence of “Catch rates were very high in 2015 younger age-class bass suggests they are and 2016. These samples were also successfully reproducing,” he noted. almost completely dominated by large- Both Horseshoe Lake and the nearby mouth bass. In addition to largemouth Rainbow Lake, which isn’t planted with bass, the fish community consists of trout or catfish, hosted a habitat enhance- inland silverside, prickly sculpin and ment conducted by the district in coop- channel catfish. In 2016, we observed the presence of bluegill in Rainbow Lake. Previously, we had not observed bluegill since 2008.” Much like Horseshoe Lake, Rainbow Lake supports healthy numbers of younger age-class largemouth bass., he said. “Rainbow Lake received Christmas trees through 2013 for the purpose of creating reefs suitable for largemouth bass and other sport fish as nursery habitat for young of the year fish. These reefs were placed on the southeast end of the lake where the depth is relatively shallow and the prevailing winds drive the warm surface water. These condi- tions provide the best bass and sunfish spawning and rearing conditions,” stated Culver. While neither the District nor Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife plant rainbow trout or channel catfish directly into Rainbow Lake, these species do migrate into Rainbow Lake via an underground pipeline, noted Culver. “Quarry Lakes remains an important East Bay fishery, not only for planted rainbow trout and channel catfish, but also for largemouth bass. Due to the depth of the lakes, it is difficult to track certain fish species; however, anglers are continuing to catch large fish and fill their limits,” Culver concluded. Huge channel catfish swim the waters of Horseshoe Lake, as evidenced by this catfish landed by Doug Kloppenburg .’ Photo courtesy of EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.