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LOS VAQUEROS NEWSLETTER                                 Aug. 23, 2016

SF Chron Puts LV on Its Top 10 List 


In his San Francisco Chronicle column,  outdoors writer Tom Stienstra last week named Los Vaqueros as one of his top 10 picks for summer fun on the water in the Bay Area. 

Tom mentioned LV’s excellent fishing year-round and the availability of rental electric boats.  There are no outside boats allowed on the reservoir.

With the bay, the Delta, many lakes and – of course – the ocean, there are lots of great places to have fun on the water around here. We appreciate Tom putting us on his list.  

Friday Stargazing Kicks Off Night Programs at LV


Venus and Jupiter are getting closer in the night sky, which serves as a great reason to go to one of the best places in the Bay Area to look at the planets and the stars: Los Vaqueros

The first stargazing will be held this Friday, Aug. 26 from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Kellogg Creek Picnic Area, and will kick off five night events at the watershed this fall.  

NASA Education Ambassador Jeff Adkins will direct the night’s show with his amazing laser pointer that seems to beam to the heavens. We’ll have telescopes available, and you can bring your own. If your binoculars are handy, bring them as well.  It gets cold at LV at night, so dress warmly.

We’ll have another stargazing night on Friday Sept. 23, and several other evening and night hikes in the next few months along with night fishing on Friday nights in November.

Some of these programs require advance reservations, so be sure to check our Activity Guide  or our calendar below for all the details.


We’re Looking For Special Needs Children For CAST Day at LV


Catch a Special Thrill (CAST) is a one-day fishing and boating adventure for children with special needs and their families set for Saturday, Oct. 15 starting at 9 a.m. Participants can fish from shore or by boat as they experience the camaraderie of a day with fellow anglers casting for the big one.
Participants will enjoy a barbeque lunch and every child receives a tackle box full of fishing supplies and a pole to keep. Advance registration is required, and is limited to 20 children with special needs. Call 925-688-8307 to reserve your spot. Please note that this program is only open for children with special needs and their families.


Hours Change in September
 

Our hours will be getting a little shorter in September as the days get shorter.  Starting Sept. 1, we’ll be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  and we’ll be open Labor Day, Sept. 5, regular hours.


Ninth Running of the Los Vaqueros Tarantula Run Saturday, Oct. 15


If you like to run or hike, and like tarantulas, please come out to Los Vaqueros on Saturday, Oct. 15 for the ninth edition of the Los Vaqueros Tarantula Run.  There will be a 5K, 10K and half-marathon over the hilly Los Vaqueros watershed, along with a free “Spider Scramble” for the kids.  
For the third straight year, Brazen Racing will managing the race.  Brazen races are famous for their family-centered atmosphere along with having plenty of ice cream and food available after the race.  The courses for the events will be same as they’ve been recently.

It’s always a lot of fun, the Spider Scrambles starts the morning of racing at 7:35 a.m. Check in with Brazen Racing for registration and other information.
 


LV Fishing Report


August 23, 2016

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Summer fishing is continuing with small striped bass very present; trout and catfish are  still active with a few largemouth reported.

The reservoir is currently storing 115,900 acre-feet of water, 72 percent of capacity. Pumping has resumed and will continue through into September. The water temperature is 69 to 70 degrees. Our water clarity is fair to good with the cooler weather and the winds breaking up much of the algae.

We’ve planted quite a few fish lately.  Warm water temps have prevented us from planting trout since July 13.  But on Aug. 18 we did plant 6,000 three-to-four inch largemouth bass; 2,000 fingerling bluegill and 2,000 fingerling redeared sunfish.   On Aug. 11, we planted 1,000 catfish and expect to plant some more this week.  Despite the warmer weather, we’re still seeing anglers catching trout, especially in the morning.  We’ve planted 27,500 pounds of trout this year. 

The windy weather pattern is settling down, but we still see plenty of windy days. If you are looking to rent a boat, it is a good idea to call ahead at (925) 371-2628, check current conditions, or look at a forecast for the Livermore-area that is pretty close to our weather.

We’re seeing rattlesnakes regularly, so be sure to check your surroundings.

The John Muir Interpretive Center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Our summer hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. with boats due in by 6 p.m.  In September, our hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and boats due in by 5 p.m.  We will be open Labor Day with our regular September hours. 

TROUT

Fishing for trout continues to be good, even with the increased water temperature.  They are being caught in South Cove and Oak Point as well as Peninsula Cove.  The baits of choice for shore anglers are garlic scented PowerBaits, nightcrawlers or Kastmaster lures.  Trout average a pound and a half but range to over 5 lbs.  Due to warm weather, our last trout plant was July 13th.  We hope to plant in the coming weeks.  Light tackle is important for catching trout with 4-6 pound test being plenty.  Trout fishing is still decent, especially in the morning, with limits being caught from around the reservoir and a number of 2’s and 3’s showing up.

With boats, we are getting reports of fish being caught in Howden and Peninsula coves.  From the shore, the most popular bait has been by garlic scented PowerBaits followed by nightcrawlers and Kastmaster lures.  There is no need for line heavier than 6 lb test.  Fish are still coming out of South Cove and from past the Rock Wall.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Most anglers were focused on stripers or trout although there still are many sightings near the boat dock and adjacent fishing pier and along the Rock Wall.  We planted 6000 3-4 inch bass on August 18th.  Senkos have been seen catching some nice fish in that area.  Keep in mind that largemouth need to be 12 inches to be kept.  Please release any big largemouth bass you might catch.  They are the future of largemouth bass fishing in the reservoir.  If you catch any of undersized fish please release them gently and allow them to grow up.

STRIPERS

Shakers continue to be the main action with striped bass.  We are still seeing many undersized fish caught for every keeper.  The fishing pier by the Marina has been particularly good.  From shore, cut anchovies or shad is the bait of choice.  Just a reminder, stripers need to be 18 inches or more to be legal.  We are starting to see more dead undersized stripers around the dock as anglers are being careless with how they release the undersize fish.  Please release the small fish as quickly and carefully as possible.  They are the future of our striped bass fishery.

CATFISH

Catfish are hit or miss with fish being reported out of Cowboy and South Coves.  As the water warms we look to see more fish being caught.  There was a 1000 plant of catfish on August 11th from Lassen.  We will be planting catfish this week.   For those wishing to target catfish, nightcrawlers and chicken liver are the best choices of bait.  We encourage and appreciate the release of any monster catfish (15 lbs plus). 
We had 17 Weblos at our Cub Scout Program Sunday.  We've added another identical program on Sunday, Sept. 11. Call (925) 688-8010 to make a reservation.
 

Cub Scout Program Gets An Added Date, Sunday, Sept. 11


Last weekend’s Cub Scout Program sold out early, so we added another program for Sunday, Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the John Muir Interpretive Center near the dam.  This program is filling fast, so call (925) 688-8010 to reserve your place. It is led by Naturalist John Mottashed and is aimed at Webelos. They will complete six of the nine “Wild” requirements, and the program includes a hike.
 

Watch for Fire Alerts


Just like just about every place else in California this year, the fire danger is severe at Los Vaqueros.  How severe depends on the weather. We’ve already had 11 “Very High” alert levels -- including one today --  and one “Extreme” this season.  We had a small fire near Vasco Road a few months ago.
 
With Very High and higher alerts, we restrict smoking to only within your vehicle and also forbid barbecuing anywhere in the watershed.  In “Red Flag” warnings, we close all trails and limit shoreline fishing to only certain areas near the Marina.

We post the warnings on our website www.ccwater.com, and also on the Los Vaqueros Reservoir App.

The warnings are dependent on temperature, wind direction and speed, and humidity.  The lower the humidity, the more likely there will be a fire warning.

Check here to see current weather conditions at LV.

This is a National Weather Service forecast for Livermore is very close to those at LV

All this info is also available on the LV App for your smart phone.  It’s available for free from the Apple Store and the Google Play, look up “Los Vaqueros Reservoir.”

Of course, you can also call our Marina at (925) 371-2628.

 

Los Vaqueros
Calendar 

 
STARGAZING: VENUS-JUPITER CONJUNCTION
 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 26
Kellogg Picnic Area
The night sky’s two brightest planets are nearing in for a must-see close encounter. Join NASA Education Ambassador Jeff Adkins as we watch these planets converge. We’ll also look for other celestial wonders of the sky. Telescopes will be available and participants may bring their own. Dress warmly.

SEPTEMBER NIGHTTIME DISCOVERY HIKE
 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 2
John Muir Interpretive Center
Program is limited to 20 participants Join Naturalist Michael Marchiano for a moonlit hike along Kellogg Creek and discover which creatures come out at night. Learn what lurks about at Los Vaqueros when the gates are locked and everyone has gone home. Locate the elusive striated scorpion on rocky outcroppings. Bring a working flashlight and dress appropriately. Participants should be age 8 years or older. Call 925-688-8010 to reserve your spot.

FREE FISHING CLINIC
 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
 Saturday, Sept. 3
 Los Vaqueros Marina
Learn everything you’ve wanted to know about lake fishing. From bait and knots to trolling and cleaning, our experienced staff will provide tips to help you reel in the big one. Clinics are tailored to participants’ skill levels. Open to all ages. Come with questions.

CUB SCOUT PROGRAM – INTO THE WILD
 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 11
 John Muir Interpretive Center
Program is limited to 20 participants Bring your Webelos out for an adventure. Naturalist John Mottashed will lead your scouts on a nature hike to complete six of the nine Into the Wild requirements, including: watch for birds, learn about flyways, watch four wild creatures, identify an insect, learn about aquatic ecosystems, and visit a nature center. Call 925-688-8010 to register your scouts.

TARANTULA HIKE & PRESENTATION
 5 to 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept.16
 John Muir interpretive Center
 Learn about Los Vaqueros’ Gentle Giants and why we only see them in the fall. Find out where they live, what they eat and how they survive. Take a moderate slow hike of less than two miles looking for tarantulas. You will also be introduced to some of the other flora and fauna. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water and a snack if needed, and dress for the weather. Participants should be age 8 years or older.

STARGAZING: FALL EQUINOX
8 to 10 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 23
 Kellogg Creek Picnic Area
At this equinox, day and night are approximately equal in length. Join NASA Education Ambassador Jeff Adkins to learn about the seasons and search the sky for celestial wonders. Telescopes will be available and participants may bring their own. Dress warmly.

BIRDS OF FALL
10 a.m. to noon
Saturday, Sept. 24
 John Muir Interpretive Center
Join Naturalist John Mottashed on an easy hike down Kellogg Creek to observe birds of the watershed. Species we may encounter include fall migratory birds just stopping by and those that live here year round. Binoculars and bird field guide recommended, but not required. Some guide books and binoculars will be available.
 
See our complete LV Activity Guide for activities through December
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Have a question about Los Vaqueros?  Send an email to jfreschi@ccwater.com.

Our Los Vaqueros Website

Look here for a map of LV 
 
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