Quarry Lakes-Fremont

[5/0]

Don't know if anyone here can help with this, but I'll give it a shot. I've been searching for small lakes and ponds in the East Bay to bass fish from the bank that are within reasonable driving distance and that are small enough to walk to several fishing spots. I know of Chabot and Shadow Cliffs, but for some reason never considered Quarry Lakes.
Can you access and fish all the small chain of ponds in this area along both sides of Alameda Creek without trespassing? Are there bass in these ponds?
Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks....Joe

[Rippinlipz_510]

I haven't checked in a few weeks but last time I was there you are able to fish from the banks. There's only two lakes you can fish Rainbow and Horseshoe. Rainbow will hold more largemouth with more luck catching them and Horseshoe is stocked with trout and some largemouth and from what I hear a small group of smallmouth bass but harder to catch any bass on the Horseshoe side.

Again I haven't been in a few weeks but I would assume its open for bank fishing still.

Good luck

[5/0]

Thank you! Was hoping a couple of the others were open to fishing, Shinn Pond for example.
Is it usually crowded? What are the best days and times to be there?

[Scott L]

Quarry is open. Parking is open and free and you don't have to pay the $5 fishing permit either during the SIP. Only lakes that can be fished are Horseshoe and Rainbow. Los Lagos and the other are prohibited reserves.

Horseshoe is usually pretty clear this time of year. I believe they have been filling it lately, so the water level should be good.

They are not allowing any vessels on the water during the SIP. Bass should be up shallow.

Shinn and the middle pond on the other side of the BART tracks are not part of Quarry, but do hold bass. Both ponds water level is high. They have been pumping water in from Alameda creek during the construction of the fish ladder.

My oldest was there briefly on Easter and said the trout bite was hot for some reason. He only fishes for bass, but everyone was catching trout in the middle of the day and they haven't planted in more than a month.

Don't have any real tips for you unfortunately. They have decent size small and largemouth. Probably not as many big girls as Chabot, but this time of year you never know.

[5/0]

Shinn and the middle pond on the other side of the BART tracks are not part of Quarry, but do hold bass.

Thank you! So you can fish these ponds. I’ll take a trip down there next week to walk around and check it out!

[Scott L]

Yes you can fish the Shinn ponds.There are three in total. The first near the tennis courts, then the middle or schoolhouse pond and Shinn. Middle pond has two fishing piers and a spot where the third pier burned down 20+ years ago.

I've heard someone introduced spotted bass into Shinn. They used to catch stripers out of Shinn as well. All three have bass, but also get a fair bit of pressure for small ponds. Good time of year to get on em though.

Good luck. I walk my dog over there several times a week.

[ImThatGuy]

This is my local lake. Bass bite can be tough this time of year, but the bass can get big.

Lake is more crowded than normal. I was the first car in the gate this morning, but already had 5 fisherman on the point. Probably due to closures at other lakes.

Bass are cruising in pairs right now, still prespawn.
Horseshoe holds a few smallies too.

[5/0]

Thanks for the responses! Was checking out the EBRP site and noticed lead could be a problem. But they stated it as lead sinkers such as d/s, bullet, egg, etc. Does this lead restriction apply to SB, underspins, jig heads and the like?
I do have tungsten and steel bullet weights, but all my D/S, jig heads, and SB are lead.
Will this be a problem?

[Scott L]

No problem. Went mid morning today while wife walked. Saw half a dozen cruisers in the flooded brush. Couple 2.5-3.5.

Good water clarity. A keeper sized bass raced out to my 6" swimbait and then veered off.

Apparently they did receive a trout plant about 10 days ago, it just not posted on the website.

[5/0]

Took a walk around Rainbow this morning to check it out for the first time, didn’t fish. Saw that there were a lot of flooded bushes and trees. Thought that targeting these would be a good bet. Is it worth trying out deeper with a reaction lure also?
I did speak to a guy who was fishing for carp, he said the pond was full of them. I’m not particularly interested in catching oversized goldfish.

[Scott L]

Southeast end of the lake is a large flat for the most part. Deepens gradually.

The end closest to the corner of Isherwood and Paseo Padre/Alameda Creek is shallow in the corner.

Shore paralleling Isherwood going to the North corner is generally speaking deeper.

Haven't been in a couple three weeks to Rainbow. My guess is some have spawned and others are moving up. If this warm weather holds there should be more up shallow. If you are throwing reaction baits with trebles, there is a fair amount of submerged shrubs you won't see with the water level being up. So consider that when chucking trebles from shore.

Unless there's been an algae bloom I'd think the water clarity should be decent. FWIW last Sunday there were bass up shallow in the flooded brush in Horseshoe.

[5/0]

Thank you for the information!