Fishing in Marin County

40 comments on “Fishing in Marin County”

1. I just called that hotline mentioned in the comments, and it said they stocked Bon Tempe lake with 750 lbs. of rainbow trout on March 25th, 2022

2. Any tips on fishing Phoenix Lake? Are the bass and sunfish safe to eat there?

   If there were crayfish (red swamp species) in the lake, would they be safe to eat?

   Another thing is how should I rig a crayfish for that lake? Should I wrap a rubber band around the craw’s body and slide a hook under, or pierce its tail with the hook?

   What time of day should I fish the lake for the best results?

   Sorry for the amount of questions; I am not very familiar with the fishing in Phoenix Lake.

   Thanks,

   Fuzzy Little Duckling

3. watch for mountain lions at Kent Lake and Alpine reservoir!

4. Elya,

   I’m not sure about good smallmouth fishing spots but for largemouth bass Stafford Lake in Novato, CA is one of the better spots for decent-sized largemouth bass during the summer. Let me know if you have any other questions and feel free to post an update after you’ve gone fishing.

   Sincerely,

   Kyle Kazak

5. Any updates for summer 2020 for which of these are seeing good fishing action for Large or Smallmouth?

6. Glad I found this site, thanks for the great info. Do you know a good place for crawdad fishing? Catch & release only, want to take a few kids on a field trip. Plan on using hot dogs, bacon, cheese but if you have any advice on bait I’d take it, thanks. I’ve only caught them inLake Tahoe but that was YEARS ago.. thanks

7. Is anything open to fish now? And what are the best spots for this time of year? I grew up fishing, but haven’t done it in ages but have a hankering to do so! Any words of advice are appreciated. Thank you!

8. Hi Daniel,

   I haven’t had a chance to fish at Kent Lake in a long time but from what I can remember your best bet is to find a place where you can cast that has easy access to the shoreline. I tried to dig up anything about recent trout plants but the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has temporarily removed the fish plant schedule off their website.

   “…in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 by preventing public crowding at water bodies. Fishing is still open and CDFW will continue stocking trout at locations where social distancing by anglers and physical distancing of Hatchery Staff can be maintained.”

   I’m not sure if they’re open or closed during COVID-19 but here’s the link to the Marin Municipal Water District’s page about fishing at the lakes under their management/control. It says you can call (415) 945-1194 for a recorded message with the MMWD’s most current fishing information.

   I hope that helps.

   Stay safe and good luck.

   Kyle Kazak

9. Kyle, What a great site, which I just discovered. Thank you. Do you have any thoughts about fishing now in Kent Lake? Cheers…

10. John,

    Unfortunately, the DFG hasn’t planted any trout in Sonoma or Marin County since May 4, 2019.

    Your best bet to fish in October for trout would be for holdovers in Bon Tempe Lake in Marin County or Lake Ralphine in Sonoma County.

    Keep checking back on the California DFW Trout Planting Schedule for Marin and Sonoma County. They update the trout plants weekly.

11. Kyle,

    Thanks for this great list!

    Where among these lakes would trout be available in October?

12. Civic Center lagoon has largemouth, bluegill and carp.

13. what type of fish are in the Civic Center Lagoon? I’ve seen people fish there.

14. Jason,

    Bon Tempe is a great place for trout throughout the year!

    The California Department of Fish & Wildlife has planted Bon Tempe 11 times since November 2018.

    I haven’t personally been there in a while but from what I’ve heard, you should be able to catch rainbow trout year-round in Bon Tempe.

    If you’re looking for catfish I suggest Stafford Lake in Novato. I’ve seen some reports of double-digit channel catfish recently.

    Hope that helps and good luck!

    Kyle Kazak

15. Now that the weather is warming up, has anyone had any recent success with catfish or bass in Lake Lagunitas?

    Was planning on trying Bon Tempe for the first time, but it would have been with the goal of trout, and I’m thinking that it’s just too warm now for trout. Or am I wrong?

    Any info helps.

    Thanks!

16. If you’re going to fish the Marin Cheese Company pond you have a small chance to hook my wife’s wedding ring – she through into the pond in a fit of rage. Not a large rock by Marin standards but would be an interesting catch. if you are unfortunate enough to catch this ring, I would advise to throw back as it has given me nothing but trouble.

17. I tried fishing Bass lake and nothing. Didn’t even see signs of fish. Additionally it is really hard to fish. Only two small areas that had any type of shoreline access.

18. James,

    I don’t have any experience fishing Pelican, Crystal or Wildcat Lakes but if they’re anything like the surrounding lakes I’d try plastic worms. You can’t go wrong with a Rooster Tail or Kastmaster in Marin since they’ll catch anything in the warm water lakes and ponds in the area. Good luck and let me know how the fishing is.

19. Was gonna try hiking to Alamere falls tomorrow and along the way try fishing Bass Lake. Any reports or recommendations on what to use? What about Pelican, Crystal or Wildcat Lakes?

20. Went by Stafford/Nicasio/Cheese Pond 28JAN2019.
    Stafford Muddy – I tried last year many times with various baits/techniques in very muddy water with no luck so i kept driving.
    Nicasio Muddy – Same story as Stafford, circled back to Cheese Factory pond.
    Cheese Factory Clear – Water looked good. I have never fished there. Went inside, shopped around a bit and inquired about fishing. Counter girl told me they cant allow fishing in the pond 🙁

21. Hi all –
    I spent some time at BonTempe 12Jan2019 but no luck. The north shore is as always covered with weeds and water is very cold but clear. I fish exclusively with plastics, usually senkos expecting bass. Note I have caught many trout, catfish, bluegills on senkos as well while targeting bass.
    I used to work near Stafford and would pull 1-2lbs bass out all day but I sure the rain has muddied it.
    Will check it out this weekend and then likely head to the cheese pond with a GF. Updates soon 😉

22. Marc,

    Phoenix Lake definitely has Largemouth bass although they’re not as common in Phoenix Lake when compared to other lakes throughout Marin County.

    The pond located at the Marin French Cheese Company is a great place to learn to fish. You can catch an assortment of small panfish, Largemouth bass or an occasional carp. Since the Marin French Cheese Company is on private property a fishing license is not required and the proprietors have been fantastic allowing conscientious anglers access to their parking lot and facilities.

    Hope that helps to answer your questions.

    Kyle

23. Hey great blog.
    Did not know that Phoenix had bass or that Marin Cheese pond is fishable. Any recent reports there?
    Thinking of heading to Stafford Friday. If no rain I will report back.

24. Tim,

    Almost all of the fishing spots listed in Marin County are open and accessible throughout the year. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife trout plants occur more sporadically though.

25. Amazing list, Kyle! Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

    Are all these slots open year round to public?

    Tin

26. Hey John,

    Great question!

    I’d say that Stafford Lake is one of the safer lakes in Marin County to eat fish from. 20% of Novato’s drinking water comes from Stafford Lake.

    The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) publishes a recurring study titled “Fish Consumption Advisories and Safe Eating Guidelines“. Here are the places OEHHA warns about consuming fish from:

    • Bon Tempe Reservoir — Black Bass, Largemouth Bass
    • Nicasio Reservoir — Black Bass, Bluegill, Carp, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish
    • Soulajule Reservoir — Black Bass, Crappie, Largemouth Bass
    • San Francisco Bay — Brown Rockfish, Brown Smoothhound Shark, California Halibut, Chinook (King) Salmon, Jacksmelt, Leopard Shark, Red Rock Crab, Striped Bass, Surfperch, Tule Perch, White Croaker, White Sturgeon
    • Tomales Bay — Bat Ray, Brown Smoothhound Shark, California Halibut, Jacksmelt, Leopard Shark, Pacific Angel Shark, Red Rock Crab, Surfperch

    I hope this helps, just steer clear of eating fish from Soulajule Reservoir.

27. Can you eat the fish you catch out at Stafford Lake?

28. Lake Lagunitas used to be my favorite place to flyfish for trout in Marin co. but, It now is overgrown with tules and other then roll casting from some of the steep banks there is little or no areas for normal overhead casting. It gets very good insect hatches in the spring and some wild trout if they can still enter the creeks to spawn, which I don’t think they can anymore due to the tules clogging the creek mouths. I heard that when asked if they could clear some of the tules out one of the members of the MMWD said NO! “We’re in the water business, not in the fishing business. Sign of the times I guess.

29. Ray,

    It’s one of the tougher asks to find a freshwater, flowing body of water in Marin County that you’re able to fish, especially when it’s the critical habitat for one or more protected species. The last place I remember I could fish in a riversystem in Marin County was the fishing derby they USED to have in the Novato Creek where it intersects with Sutro Ave which I guess is technically within the boundary of Ohair Park.

    With the lack of state funding (2009), tightening of local regulations (2009) and more recently the droughts (2018) that cause Novato’s fish recovery plan to fail.

    The chance that the Novato Fishing Derby or fishing in general is allowed in Novato Creek anytime soon looks really slim.

    In Southern Novato there’s the Black Point Boat Launch that drops you into the Petaluma River but it’s brackish water. I’ll have to look legality of fishing for Chinook or Coho when they’re in brackish/saltwater before they enter the freshwater river system but my gut tells me that even that is still a no-go.

    Hope this help or at least confirms your suspicious of the lack of fishing in freshwater that moves in Marin County.

30. Awesome list thanks so much!! I am new here from red bluff so where can you NOT FISH? I was going to fish in the laganitas creek for coho but I have been told that’s a no no!!

31. Kyle thanks for the great info!

    I’m not a beginner, I’ve fly fished for years I’m just new to the area, 🙂 Definitely going to give Bon Tempe and Laguintas a visit soon. If you have any suggestion for flies or lines for these lakes please don’t hold back haha.

    Thanks again!

    Justin

32. Justin,

    In Southern Marin, Bon Tempe and Lagunitas Lake are usually stocked a few times per year with catchable Rainbow Trout.

    Here’s a link to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Fish Planting Schedule for Marin County.

    The main reason I’d recommend the Marin French Cheese Co (also known as “The Cheese Factory”) for a fly fishing starter location is because Bon Tempe and/or Lagunitas won’t give you nearly as much room to cast.

    Don’t get me wrong, you can definitely fly fish at Bon Tempe and Lagunitas Lake but it the terrain wouldn’t be considered an entry level place to start.

    Stafford Lake in Novato, CA is another place where you’ll have plenty of room to cast from the bank. Stafford Lake is very large and because of the size I’d consider it an intermediate place to fish.

    For a beginner, The Cheese Factory is just 10 minutes further, pavement all the way there and a FREE parking lot.

    Let me know if you have any other questions.

33. Thanks, man, I’m from Scotland originally, I’ve fly fished since I was a child. I’m just not familiar with the area that much.

    I had no idea that place had fish.

    Great list by the way, are most of these stocked?

    Thanks.

34. Thanks for this list!

35. Justin,

    I’d personally start at a place like the Marin French Cheese Co for fly fishing. You have plenty of space on the grass bank, it’s not sloped and there are plenty of panfish and small bass to catch.

36. Superb info!

    I’m new’ish to the area mainly interested in fly fishing. Any idea which are best for fly?

37. I’ve definitely seen some small bass, common carp and a few small panfish in Scottsdale Pond but only heard rumors that they planted trout. After doing some research you’re right, Novato planted both rainbow trout and channel catfish on April 28, 2018 for the city’s annual youth fishing event.

    Towards the end of last year the city issued a water quality advisors for Scottsdale Pond and it seems that they might still be experiencing a pretty bad Algae bloom. Take a look at the Marin IJ article titled “Novato’s Scottsdale Pond plagued with algae bloom” (https://goo.gl/i1Pfzy).

    Thanks for your input Bob. Let me know if you catch any species of fish that aren’t listed. I’d gladly make the updates.

38. Scottsdale pond is definitely my favorite, caught ten bass there over the weekend! Also there are trout!

39. The California Department of Fish & Wildlife recently planted rainbow trout in a few lakes throughout Marin and Sonoma County. The trout species planted are rainbow trout of catchable size.

    In Marin County, Bon Tempe received trout plants on January 14/28, February 11/25 and April 15. Lake Lagunitas received trout plants on January 14 and March 18.

    In Sonoma County, Lake Ralphine received trout plants on January 14/28, February 11/25 and April 15.

40. Great list! Which is your favorite for trout fishing from shore this time of year?