Fishing Report Fishin's picken-up!  So far there's been several thousand pounds of fish put in since summer. The lake still has a bit of and algae bloom so the waters are green. There's a lot of fish being caught right now.  Sure, it's a waiting game but most people are catchen 'em!  The cat's are back and there's a lot of new trout it there also.  Please email me any reports, on Hot Spots, bait suggestions, etc!  I will post your comments... "The worst day fishing is better than the best day at work" WHERE ARE THEY?  In the lake!!  Face it... it's Cunningham!  It may take a while to hook one, but it's probably gonna be a big one (see picture below)...   Try fishing the North end of the lake by Parking Lot E, and between the small island and the shore, also in the point below the Tully Rd entrance. Remember... if your not catchin' anything, it's still not the fishes fault!  Everyone seems to want to know where to fish are dumped in... Well... no surprises... there still dumped into... THE WATER!

SUGGESTED CATFISH BAIT include: nightcrawlers, salmon eggs, liver, shrimp, mackerel, cheese bait, cooked hotdogs, garlic dough, etc... 

Ok, I don't want to endorse any one manufacturer, but pheromone sprays, sometimes called "stink baits", are hot right now.

CAT-FISHING TIP:  Remember, the best place to catch fish in the park is...  IN THE WATER!   It is called "Fishing" not "Catching."  Catfish spent the day lounging around the bottom of the lake.  When fishing for catfish, let them take the bait and run.  If they are just nibbling on it they will probably spit it out if you jerk the line.

SUGGESTED TROUT BAIT include worms, dough-bait, PowerBait, Salmon eggs.

TROUT-FISHING TIP:  Trout are a mid to surface swimmer.  If you feel a nibble... jerk that line!

Waders and floating wader fishing crafts are not allowed!  You can bring your boat, but read the park rules first.

2009 California Fishing Regs

Cunningham Boating Rules

2009 California Resident Licenses $38.85

- Minimum $100 fine for fishing without a license! -

• All anglers 16yr and over must wear and display a valid California Fishing License above the waist.

• A Second Pole sticker must be affixed to the license to fish with a second pole.

• Under the age of 16, young anglers may fish with two closely "ATTENDED" fishing poles.

• Fishing is not allowed from the boat dock area at the Marina or the beach area to the south of the marina.

• Fish "Bag Limits" must be adhered to at any age.

Catfish and Trout are stocked "catchable" size, usually 1-2 pounders.

There is no limit on crawfish, but you do need a license to catch them if you are 16 years or older.  TIP: Silver Creek has the best catch rate.

January 2008 water temp avg. 52deg

Lake depth average 8ft

MYTH:  "The Cormorant's eat all the stocked fish."

FACT: Cormorants diet largely consists of "baitfish."  It would be highly unusual for a cormorant to eat a fish over a half pound or 8in long in size.  Cunningham is usually stocked with 1.5 to 2 pound fish.  The Pelicans are actually more of a threat to fish than cormorants.

 MYTH: "Lake Cunningham is polluted and the fish are bad."

FACT: Cunningham is not polluted.  Actually, the lake is very "clean" of chemical pollutants. There are no storm drains or local creeks flowing into the lake.  So, there is virtually no way for "pollutants to get into the lake.  The green color of the water is algae.  Algae is a naturally occurring plant.

MYTH: "Sometimes Lake Cunningham becomes polluted or diseased and a lot of fish die - usually in the fall or early winter."

FACT: Occasionally Cunningham has what's called a "die-off" of fish.  This is not caused by pollution or disease.  The fish die because the lake actually runs out of oxygen.  This is a natural process.  In the fall, as lake temperatures drop, algae begins to die and go dormant.  As algae dies it uses most of the available oxygen in the lake for decomposition.

MYTH: "Lake Cunningham is a deep lake that's been around for hundreds of years."

FACT: The lake was actually dug out in early 1979.  It's a flat bottom lake and the depth reaches a maximum of 12 feet in the winter.  Cunningham is a "young park" and helping it along is a daily challenge.

MYTH: "Someone took a mini-sub around the bottom of Lake Cunningham and discovered millions of big fish."

Fact: Well, there are millions of fish and size is relative... But, there is no evidence that anyone has ever taken a sub around Cunningham.  The lake really isn't deep enough to support such an activity.

MYTH: "There is a 110 pound man-eating fire-breathing catfish swimming around in the lake, by the name of 'Charlie'."

FACT: Unknown

Lake Cunningham has its share of local anglers.  There are stories of catfish big enough to swallow a man. We like to spotlight the "big ones" and the anglers who caught them.  "Don't come to Cunningham to catch any fish... come here to catch a lunker!"  I have some new pics from August and Sept I will be posting soon. At the beginning of October. If you want your photo removed or added please drop me an e-mail [email protected] The cats are still bitin'!  Thanh Dang landed these 10,8, and 5 ponders on June 24th, 2009. If ya see him on the banks, ya might want to ask him what he used to lure these lunkers to his hook.  All I know is that someone's eatin' one heck of a catfish gumbo!
Catfish 07/21/2007	Lunker! Catfish 04/07/2007	15lb Catfish 08/24/2005	Catfish 09/12/2006
3lb 4oz Catfish 07/16/2005	9lb 6oz Catfish 10/21/2005	Catfish 09/17/2005	09/2008
7lb Catfish caught 04/13/2008	Trout 03/19/2005	7lb Catfish 09/24/2005
9lb 8oz Catfish 09/29/2005	Hey... Koi Count! 7lb Carp 11/02/2005	ASK A PARK RANGER TO PUT YOUR PIC HERE	Catfish
photo's unavailable 8lb Catfish 08/12/2006   5lb Catfish 08/26/2006	Catfish 10/12/2006	Catfish 10/15/2006	Catfish 10/15/2006
Catfish 09/12/2006	ASK A PARK RANGER TO PUT YOUR PIC HERE	Trout 03/19/2005	Catfish 10/07/2006 SBFIC Event
Catfish 02/12/2006	Catfish 09/12/2006	Catfish 09/12/2006	It's a fish! Catfish 09/12/2006

Kids fish FREE!  Anyone under the age of 16 can fish without a license anywhere in California.  Visit our Marina and enroll your child in the "Tackle Loaner Program" during our summer season and they can borrow a fishing pole for FREE.

Sorry, I no longer post "Fishing in the City" information or produce the "SBFIC Fishing Clinic ENewsletter"

PLEASE CONTACT 

Ethan Rotman

Phone: 415-892-0460
Email: [email protected]
 at the California Department of fish and Game for more information

Fishing reports and other useful information

Places in the Bay Area to go Bass Fishing San Pablo Reservoir Anza in Berkeley Temescal in Oakland Lafayette Reservoir Anderson Reservoir Coyote Lake Calero

• Stevens Creek Reservoir ..........................867-3654

• Lake Ranch, Sanborn Park........................867-9959

• Lexington Reservoir......................................353-6291

• Vasona Lake...................................................356-2729

• Los Gatos Creek, Perc Ponds...................356-2729

• Sandy Wool Lake, Ed Levin Park.............262-6980

• Cottonwood Lake, Hellyer Park.................225-0225

• Lake Cunningham..........................................794-7577

• Grant Lakes......................................................274-6121

• Parkway Lakes...............................................629-9111

• Chesbro Reservoir........................................779-9232

• Sprig Lake, Mt. Madonna Park..................842-2341

• Uvas Reservoir..............................................779-9232

• Coyote Creek..................................................779-3634

• Anderson Reservoir.....................................779-3634

• Coyote Lake...................................................842-7800