Lake Solano is a secret summer fishery west of Davis, CA.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great for small prams, kayaks, canoes, pontoon and float tubes.

Putah Creek runs right through it.

http://www.kiene.com/portfolio-view/solano-lake/

[drdan]

Great for small prams, kayaks, canoes, pontoon and float tubes.

Putah Creek runs right through it.

http://www.kiene.com/portfolio-view/solano-lake/

Hi Bill,

I think your information needs to be updated on Lake Solano.... There hasn't been a brown trout caught in Lake Solano/ Putah Creek in quite some time according to self-reported creel counts. I believe they have all sputtered out. There must not have been as appropriate conditions to produce a self-sustaining population as there has been for rainbows. You would think that there would be plenty of forage for them.... Maybe not the spawning habitat?

If anyone has any photographic proof of a recent brown trout catch from this system, I would love to see it!

Dan

[Dan LeCount]

Last brown trout I caught in Putah was maybe 15 years ago, doesn't mean they still can't exist. Maybe just really rare.

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

I fished Solano Lake in early '70's in the original, mass-produced float tube; the "Tucker Tube, made in Arkansas. At the time there were brown trout in the lake and in the stream. I cannot attest to the current state of the fishery if the browns are present; having not fly fished there in over 30 years. I do get reports from Bay Area/Sac anglers occasionally and haven't heard of brown trout.

Frank R. Pisciotta

[HSano]

I landed a 23 inch brown from Putah creek in early November of 2007. The bad news is that I foul-hooked it near the front fin. The good news is that it was a very hefty fish that was close to five pounds. Even though it was foul-hooked, I was elated to land such a beautiful fish and it's a fish I won't ever forget.

[Forellenjaeger]

Here's a big rainbow caught in Lake Solano in July 2008 -- on a size 8 black crystal bugger. Released unharmed after taking photo.

[Jake O]

Here's a big rainbow caught in Lake Solano in July 2008 -- on a size 8 black crystal bugger. Released unharmed after taking photo.

Yes. Sure the fish felt great with that nylon net and carpet boat bottom. Nice fish though, in all honesty

[drdan]

Yes. Sure the fish felt great with that nylon net and carpet boat bottom. Nice fish though, in all honesty

I think we have all learned a lot about best practices for handling in the subsequent 8 years since that photo was taken...

[Rossflyguy]

Solano is a pig farm. Those giants that come to spawn don't hang out in 600 cfs and gain weight like that. Learn how to fish for them and you'll be rewarded.

[yubaman]

DF & W did a telemetry study in Putah Creek just last year. Part of what was verified is that the majority of large fish reside in Lake Solano. They will travel throughout the length of Putah Creek at times, but after soawning, generalyy return to the lake and sp end much of their time there.