Arroyo Del Valle

[Steelie-Stalker]

I know some of you guys are out here in the east bay and pleasanton like me, and I see lotsa people fish out oftheir float tubes in the Arroyo Del Valle Pond thing over the levee from Shadow Cliffs.

Anybody ever tried it?

I recently signed up to volunteer to try and save the steelhead of the alameda creek watershed, but I wouldnt mind hooking a few bass :)

[Hairstacker]

I haven't float tubed it myself but I have read reports of some nice bass coming out of there. I roamed the shorelines of it with my kids a few years ago and we got into a bunch of nice panfish so don't forget to bring some bluegill/green sunfish flies along just in case:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/Sachlil/6-3-06Bluegill2.jpg

I also remember we almost got eaten alive by mosquitos in June, so don't forget to pack the bug dope as well. Given the park fees, I am actually much more inclined just to hit the Delta for free . . . then again, I'm closer to it than you are. Anyway, let us know how you did if you go! :D

[Steelie-Stalker]

Cool thanks for the info. Because its so close to me, and my favored steelhead are 2 hrs to the american, bass might be a good plan.

I've got 5wt. and 7wt....though I think a 6 would be best...right?

I'm new to bass on the fly...I have picked up the technique for topwater though. I'm sure there are other ways to fish for them though.

I'll be going through the pages of this board to see If i can find any of those beginner posts so I dont make you guys do it all over again :) , but any help helps!

Thanks!

[Hairstacker]

I would take the 5 wt. (even if I owned a 6 wt.) along with some size 6 olive crystal buggers or regular woolly buggers, some size 2 chartreuse/white Clousers that have a little built-in flash, and some size 2 Dahlberg Divers and/or deer hair poppers -- the subsurface flies in particular seem to work just about anywhere for bass. I would plan to target them very early or very late in the day and I would make darn sure to pack some bluegill flies along just in case the bass don't pan out.

Anyway, that's what I would do, although I've only fished it a couple of times in total and spent almost all my time targeting bluegills and green sunfish. Hopefully someone else who knows those bass will pipe in here.