Drew Lake Fishing in Santa Cruz County, California

• Overview

  Out in Santa Cruz County, California, sits Drew Lake. Elevation runs to 59 feet. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our California listings. Nearest place of any size is Interlaken, 1 mile away. The big place round here is Salinas, 19 miles distant. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Drew Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Santa Cruz County include flathead grey mullet, rainbow trout, bluegill, cabezon and buffalo sculpin. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Drew Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 66°F and January at 49°F. Winter is a mild inconvenience here, nothing more. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Drew Lake fishes to that pattern most years. The first warm days of the year bring fish shallow quickly.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. A picnic spot sits 0.9 miles from the bank. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Kelly Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Drew Lake locally before you travel.