Took a canoe trip with my two boys down a stretch of creek from Diversion dam downstream to the town of Winters.The float takes about 3 hours if you dont stop and fish much,and is really something special.We saw lots of wildlife including a whole bunch of Mountain lion tracks.I did fish a little and landed 4ea smallish rainbows or maybe they were juvenile steelhead.These fish were only about 12-14" long but were real scrappy and seemed to be holding in only a few areas of trout like water,the rest of the water in this stretch is pretty slow and more Bass-like.I float this area about 2 to 3 times a year and is only do-able with a canoe and only during the low flow times.
Hey bono...Sounds like a good day with the kids. Question about lower Putah. Can you provide some information on "access" areas. I have never ventured past the dam as I was unsure about where one could access the creek. Are there public areas similar to the #1-#5 access points on the upper Putah level?
When i lived in dixon about 15 years ago i used to fish lots of spots from stevensons bridge up to the winters dam and used to catch some really quality smallmouth and largemouth bass, actually my biggest largmouth about 8 lbs. and my largest smallmouth about 4 lbs came from the area that is now the putah creek nature area i think the sighn says. Its was great fishin from a float tube back then. I assume the bass are still there. Always did best in the higher flows of spring and summer, of course the warmer water of that time of year helps, never ever did good when the flows were low, theres also alot of panfish and huge carp in that area. Seems theres alot more pvt property now but the area around winters still has access, actually i beleive that if you put in at some public access you can float thourgh any privately owned areas because the property owners do not own the creek up to the high water level, but i could be wrong.
Capitans right about lower Putah also about the fact that once you're within the high water mark of the creek you are ok,except upstream at Canyon creek resort just below Monticello dam,they have exclusive rights from the middle of the creek.A person can access the water with a canoe just below Diversion dam with no problems,just be aware that there are lots of mud snails in the area.And speaking of mud snails today I am meeting with a gentleman who developed a spray to apply to your waders and boots to kill the NZMS.I'll post the info about the product as soon as I learn more.