Chico boys any of you at thier..

[bassaholic21]

I am heading up to Chico and my buddy just moved up thier and he lives real close to California Parks. I guess its a little man made lake. any info out thier to help catch some fish would be great thanks... Mike

[Steve Carson]

Lake is about 50 acres, divided in half by a bridge that is navigable underneath.
Launch ramp available near bridge, no gasoline motors allowed.
Average depth 8 feet, but a couple of spots down to about 15 feet.
All fishing access is private, allowable only with a "Lake Use Card", issued to residents only.
Old cards just expired, new ones effective as of April 1.
Patrolled semi-regularly.
Barbless hooks and catch and release only, but you would definitely not want to eat anything out of the lake due to heavy pesticide, lawn chemical and street runoff that goes directly into the lake.
Largemouth bass action good, mostly 12 to 15 inch fish, but some much bigger Florida-strain fish if you are patient or skilled at lunker hunting.
Fanciful tales of big bass slurping down ducklings like candy here are wishful thinking, but big ones are indeed there.
The occasional spotted bass or smallmouth is also seen due to releases by "bucket biologists", but these species do not spawn successfully.
Weightless plastics are the way to go due to shallow depths and heavy weed growth.
Anything from 4 to 10 inches in earthones will work. As water continues to warm, topwaters are also good.
A few bluegill and green sunfish, along with a very few large catfish.
Possibly one or two large sturgeon swimming around too.
Guests are more than welcome to fish when accompanied by a resident.
90 percent of the fishing area is literally in someone's backyard, so respect of the environment and residents is appreciated.

> I am heading up to Chico and my buddy just
> moved up thier and he lives real close to
> California Parks. I guess its a little man
> made lake. any info out thier to help catch
> some fish would be great thanks... Mike

[Steve Carson]

A Calif. fishing license IS required, despite what some residents may tell you.
Just checked the current "lake cards", and they are good until the end of this month, then the new ones are needed.
If you are taking kids, live minnows are ridiculously easy and keep the kids interested, but please use circle hooks to minimize harm to the fish.
Adults should be ashamed of themselves if they fish minnows here.
Fish bite best early and late, but are catchable all day long with light 6 or 8-pound line.
Now and then you will also catch a crappie or two.

> Lake is about 50 acres, divided in half by a
> bridge that is navigable underneath.
> Launch ramp available near bridge, no
> gasoline motors allowed.
> Average depth 8 feet, but a couple of spots
> down to about 15 feet.
> All fishing access is private, allowable
> only with a "Lake Use Card",
> issued to residents only.
> Old cards just expired, new ones effective
> as of April 1.
> Patrolled semi-regularly.
> Barbless hooks and catch and release only,
> but you would definitely not want to eat
> anything out of the lake due to heavy
> pesticide, lawn chemical and street runoff
> that goes directly into the lake.
> Largemouth bass action good, mostly 12 to 15
> inch fish, but some much bigger
> Florida-strain fish if you are patient or
> skilled at lunker hunting.
> Fanciful tales of big bass slurping down
> ducklings like candy here are wishful
> thinking, but big ones are indeed there.
> The occasional spotted bass or smallmouth is
> also seen due to releases by "bucket
> biologists", but these species do not
> spawn successfully.
> Weightless plastics are the way to go due to
> shallow depths and heavy weed growth.
> Anything from 4 to 10 inches in earthones
> will work. As water continues to warm,
> topwaters are also good.
> A few bluegill and green sunfish, along with
> a very few large catfish.
> Possibly one or two large sturgeon swimming
> around too.
> Guests are more than welcome to fish when
> accompanied by a resident.
> 90 percent of the fishing area is literally
> in someone's backyard, so respect of the
> environment and residents is appreciated.

[Dan Rechs]

I LOVE THIS LAKE. I lived there for 5 years while I was going to school. I used to fish this lake weekly. I suggest using a yozuri 4" that floats (dives to 4'). They float slower than rapalas and work a little better. Use a rip pause, rip rip pause. I used to stroke them on split shot worms, brushogs, and 4" sinkos. For reaction you can't beat a super spook or Jr super spook in baby bass the, or the yozuri.

If you are fishing from shore, start at the gravel boat ramp just to the South of the bridge. It produced better than any other spot on the lake for me. Don't be afraid to cast parallel to the bank one foot from the edge. Those fish can be VERY shallow at any time, especially in the morning or in the evening. Both sides of the bridge are good but the ramp is best. Fish under the bridge too. Then I would walk across the road and fish the other side (North west bank).

Then next best spot is where the water comes into the lake from upper lake. It is a small area but holds a lot of fish. I suggest that if you are fishing from the bank and the fish aren't biting, just move 30' down and keep fishing.

If you have a little boat (gas motors not allowed) you have access to every dock and rock along the shore and the island. Fish are everywhere.

My best was about a 5.5 lber on a spinner bait this time of year. I was in a little boat fishing a pointer minnow (ghost) and a white spinner bait with a gold indiana blade and a small silver colorado blade. I was just covering water and caught a boatload of two and three pounders.

The lake is FULL of smaller fish but you can catch some decent ones. I used to talk to the security guards all the time and they never said anything about the barbless hooks. Could be a new regulation though. If the pass doesn't say anything about it, I wouldn't bother to pinch them. It is catch and release though.

Email me if you want any other info.