Fishing at Kelly Lake, Santa Cruz County, California

• Overview

  Kelly Lake is listed under Santa Cruz County, California. This is open plain ground. It measures about 78 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 1.3 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our California listings. Some 0.8 miles away sits Interlaken, the nearest settlement. Freedom lies 2.1 miles off, Watsonville another 2.4 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Kelly Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Santa Cruz County include flathead grey mullet, rainbow trout, bluegill, cabezon and buffalo sculpin. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Kelly Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 66°F and January near 49°F. Summer heat is the limit here, not winter cold. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Time your trip to Kelly Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Fishing from a pier is possible half a mile away. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Drew Lake is 0.2 miles distant. The position on Kelly Lake is worth confirming on the day.