Small Bass Ponds

[Natekursow]

Anyone have any recommendations for some small bass/sunfish (farm pond size) ponds in the Auburn area that you would be willing to share the location of? No secret spots, just somewhere to check out on a free afternoon. Thanks!

NK

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

https://www.yellowpages.com/auburn-ca/fishing-lakes-ponds

[Natekursow]

Thanks Bill!

NK

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

My good friend Duane Calkins gave us two lakes/ponds:



Lake Theodore

https://mapcarta.com/23075074


Lake Arthur

[Darian]

If you have access, Google Earth is a good place to start. Locate Auburn then start a visual search at high level. When you see something that looks like lake, zoom in. The names of many bodies of water will appear there.

Here's one from my past that's right in Auburn: Rock Creek Reservoir off Hwy 49/Bell Road (used to be Smallmouth in there). Also, check out ponds on the local golf courses up there.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Sadly, due to insurance reasons many properties are closed to the public now.

[Rossflyguy]

Sadly, due to insurance reasons many properties are closed to the public now.

That’s never stopped a fisherman from ripping lips.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Yes, my fishing buddies, ~50 year ago, took me to their "new bass pond" up highway 50 right across from Bass lake where there was

a Buffalo roaming around. They told me that someone knew the owner so we opened the gate and drove in. It was not far off the road

but out of sight of the highway. It was small but full of bass and they ate anything we used.

A few years later I said, "Lets go to that little pond up hwy 50?"

They said, "Oh, last time we got caught and thrown out."

I said, "I thought you had permission to fish it?"

They said, " We had to lie to you because we knew you would not want to sneak in."

_________________________

Our Cortland Line Rep, Joe Patterson, always had a new bass pond that we could go to with him.

Over my 50 years in Sporting Goods I was lucky to be invited to fish many private ponds.

There has to be thousands of small stock ponds all over California that almost never get fished.

[Woodman]

The lakes and ponds are everywhere...permission is the problem. I used to fish a couple of ponds along Highway 16 halfway to Plymouth. I never met the owner and my friend who had the combination to the lock is no longer with us. Didn't leave it to me in his will unfortunately.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Imagine........there are thousands of bass ponds that are out on big ranches in the foothills and coast range that never get fished?

[Darian]

There're several larger waters that are easily reached from Auburn. Each has Bass/Sunnies in them. Try Rollins or Camp Far West Reservoirs, etc.

You probably already know this but if you encounter owners like Bill described and you want to gain access to ponds on those properties; visit the owner in person, spend some time asking for permission, assure that you'll not share permission with buddies or leave trash around the place. Sometimes that'll work.

[Woodman]

If you know anyone who lives in Rancho Murieta, I hear good things about their lakes...

[McFish]

Murietta is great; but the member has to be with you when fishing. The local HOA group has frequent checks. In the past this was badly abused and the club decided to do what was necessary to restore their fishery. Congrats to them.

[McFish]

If you want to target BG; Rec pond in Auburn off Dry Creek, the park in Meadow Vista, Willow Hill Res in Folsom, ponds in Lincoln, Ride to Walk just south of Lincoln on Hwy 193. Ride to Walk has a small fee and some bass, but lots of weeds.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

April/May/June is bass & panfish time in CA, almost everywhere there is water.

Early and late in the day is best.

[PV_Premier]

I only got to go twice, but when I was a kid and my grandparents were still alive and living in the San Joaquin valley, my uncle (who was an ag rep for a big company and knew every farmer from Fresno to Patterson to Manteca) got tresspass rights on an amazing slough down that way somewhere. I was a gear fisherman back then, but I will never forget how sore my arms were on the drive back to Modesto those evenings after slaying them all day on tube jigs. Dozens of fish in the 5-7# class, some pushing 10...more than you could count 3-5#...