Arastradero Lake
Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto, CA
Rating: 
Map: Mapquest Map
Size: Appx 10 acres
Water Level: N/A, but Always Full
Depth: Appx 15'
Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, carp
Fees: none
Boating: none
Pros: lots of cover, light pressure, good catfishing
Cons: almost no shoreline access, no watercraft
Description: A very small pond on the side of a popular mountain biking and running trail in Palo Alto. You have to park on Arastradero Road and walk a quarter mile or so on the trail to the lake. It is circled with tules. So many tules that there are only a few places to fish from the bank. And for some reason that escapes me, you are not allowed to put a float tube or anything else in this lake.
Fish Largemouth Bass: There are bass in here, but getting to them can be problematic. Fish EARLY in the morning with topwater, then go to small plastics or jigs in the day. I've had most success dropping small baits into pockets of weeds or tules.
Catfish: This can be a good catfish lake. It is stocked on the rare occasion with channels. But I think it also has a good sustaining population of its own. Try chicken liver or nightcrawlers 4 feet under a small bobber and cast towards the middle of the lake.
