Fishing Lake San Antonio in Monterey County, California

• Overview

  Lake San Antonio falls in Monterey County, part of California. It sits at 778 feet above sea level. Lake Nacimiento sits 10 miles from here and is the nearest stop. It is 68 miles to Salinas, the nearest city. More in the same country: Snake Creek after 8.9 miles, Lower Stoney Creek Reservoir some 18 miles off, Coleman Reservoir after 23 miles, Milpitas Reservoir some 24 miles off and Monroe Lake after 25 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Lake San Antonio

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Open biodiversity records for Monterey County list flathead grey mullet, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, pink salmon and rainbow trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Lake San Antonio the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 70°F on average, December about 47°F. There is no frozen season to plan round. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Lake San Antonio fishes to that pattern most years. A grey, mild day is often better than a bright, still one.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. The slipway at Playto Launch Ramp is half a mile away. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Snake Creek sits 8.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Lake San Antonio before loading the car.