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Los Vaqueros Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Los Vaqueros Reservoir: a Contra Costa Water District drinking-water lake fished from shore, a pier and rental boats.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Water temp
~62 F est.
Air / High
58 / 64 F
Wind
N 7 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
23
October 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Los Vaqueros Reservoir is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. Today brings a mixed sky, wind N around 7 mph, falling pressure near 1018 hPa and a high of 64. Water sits around 62 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 9:46 AM-11:46 AM and 10:15 PM-12:15 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Largemouth bassExcellent

In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Striped bassExcellent

Spring and fall are the shoreline seasons: ODWC points to windblown points, riprap and dams during the May shad spawn and the pre-winter feed.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

CrappieGood

Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 70 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

California requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $64.54 for residents. What a California licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing largemouth bass here? Check the size and bag limits with CDFW before you keep anything. The season dates for California, read off the agency, are on the California seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~62 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp58 F
High / Low64 / 55 F
WindN 7-12 mph
Pressure1018.2 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain51% cloud, 4%
Sunrise / Sunset07:23 / 18:18
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~62 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Los Vaqueros Reservoir this week

Today is the pick of the week on Los Vaqueros Reservoir, at 4 out of 5.

Best day this week: today, Oct 23 β€” good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Oct 23 β€” Good

Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Solunar majors
9:46 AM-11:46 AM and 10:15 PM-12:15 AM
Minor period
4:11 AM-5:11 AM
Sun
07:23 to 18:18
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Showers, 11 mph
Rain chance
4%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Los Vaqueros Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: the spring pre-spawn and the fall feed

A warm-water sunfish of lakes, reservoirs, ponds and slow river backwaters that holds tight to cover: weeds, logs, rock ledges and docks. In Texas, TPWD surveys rank it "by far" the freshwater fish anglers most want to catch. In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: the spring spawn; summer around docks, brush and the thermocline

Two slab-sided panfish, the white crappie and the black crappie, that gather around submerged timber, brush piles, docks and bridge pilings in lakes, reservoirs and slow river backwaters. Texas Parks and Wildlife counts crappie as the state's most popular panfish. Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Striped bass illustration

Striped bass

Best: spring and fall inland; on the coast, during the seasonal migrations

The largest of the temperate basses, a sea-run fish of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts that now also lives in reservoirs across much of the country after hatchery stocking. Inland, it follows schools of shad and herring through open water. Spring and fall are the shoreline seasons: ODWC points to windblown points, riprap and dams during the May shad spawn and the pre-winter feed.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Year-round, best at dusk and after dark

Three big catfish share most of the country's rivers and reservoirs: the channel catfish, the most widespread; the blue catfish, the largest; and the flathead, which hunts live fish. All feed mostly on or near the bottom. In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

When to come: the Los Vaqueros Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Largemouth bass
Crappie
Striped bass
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 62 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~62 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Los Vaqueros Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 61 F, wind to 10 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Largemouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 67 F, wind to 9 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 67 F, wind to 7 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

California requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

California fishing license plus CCWD's $6 daily fishing access permit. CCWD posts these daily limits: trout 5, catfish 10, striped bass 2 (18-inch minimum), black bass 5 (12-inch minimum), salmon 5, crappie 25. It states that California fishing regulations are enforced.

Access

South entrance: Los Vaqueros Marina, 9990 Los Vaqueros Rd., Byron (pier, shore and rental boats; 16-foot boat $30 an hour or patio boat $75 an hour, rates effective February 1, 2026). North entrance: park at the Interpretive Center and walk about half a mile. Daily parking: $6 per car, $5 for seniors, $4 for district ratepayers.

About this water

A 160,000-acre-foot water-supply reservoir, completed in 1997 and enlarged in 2012, owned by Contra Costa Water District, Contra Costa County, California.

Fishing Los Vaqueros Reservoir: the full guide

A water-district reservoir open for day use

Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) built Los Vaqueros between 1994 and 1997 to hold 100,000 acre-feet, then raised the dam in 2011-2012 so it now stores up to 160,000 acre-feet for customers in central and eastern Contra Costa County. The district opens the reservoir and its watershed, between Brentwood and Livermore, as a year-round day-use area for fishing, boating, hiking and picnicking.

What the district plants and posts

CCWD says it stocks fish seasonally: trout in the cooler months and catfish in the warmer months. Its fishing page listed four 1,000-pound catfish plants this summer, the latest on September 3. The same page runs a Whopper Mug program for trout of 8 pounds, striped bass of 10 pounds, catfish of 12 pounds and largemouth bass of 5 pounds (largemouth must be released).

South side and north side

The south entrance leads to the Los Vaqueros Marina, where anglers can fish from the pier, the shore or a rental boat; the marina sells CDFW fishing licenses, bait and tackle. On the north side, anglers park at the Los Vaqueros Interpretive Center and walk about half a mile to the shoreline, and bait is sold at the north entrance kiosk.

Rules that shape a visit

Private watercraft of every kind, including float tubes, kayaks and paddle boards, are not allowed. Rental boats go first come, first served, renters must be at least 21, and boats must be back two hours before closing. Body contact with the water is not allowed because the lake stores drinking water, pets are banned in the watershed, and the dock, pier and rentals shut in storms, fog or high wind. Gates lock at closing time, which ranges from 5 p.m. in winter to 8 p.m. from April through August.

Common questions

Can I bring my own boat or kayak?

No. CCWD does not allow private watercraft of any type. The only boats on the water are rentals from the marina on the south side.

What does it cost to fish?

CCWD charges a $6 per-person daily fishing permit on top of the parking fee ($6 for a car). You also need a California fishing license.

Is swimming allowed?

No. Body contact is not allowed in the reservoir or in the watershed's streams and ponds, because the lake stores drinking water.

Is fishing good at Los Vaqueros Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake Del Valle16 miCalifornia Delta17 miSan Pablo Reservoir28 miPacifica43 miLake Camanche50 miPutah Creek51 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 37.8200, -121.7300 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 8, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 8, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.