Howell Reservoir Fishing Guide, Santa Clara County, California

• Overview

  Set in Santa Clara County, California, this is Howell Reservoir. Height above sea level is 1,444 feet. Start from Lexington Hills, 3 miles down the road. Los Gatos lies 3.4 miles off, Monte Sereno another 3.4 miles. If this one is busy: Lake Couzzens 0.1 miles away, Lake Ranch Reservoir (2.7 miles), Vasona Reservoir 4.6 miles away, Loch Lomond (6 miles) and Lake Elsman 6.7 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Howell Reservoir

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. County-wide records name flathead grey mullet, rainbow trout, common carp, bluegill and Sacramento sucker. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Howell Reservoir gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 68°F at the top of summer and 48°F at the bottom of winter. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Time your trip to Howell Reservoir by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. There are toilets mapped about 0.9 miles away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Lake Couzzens is 0.1 miles off. What applies at Howell Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.