Martinez Reservoir near Mountain View: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in Contra Costa County, California. The land about it is pine and hardwood. Surface area runs to about 13 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Contra Costa County. For supplies, Mountain View is 0.6 miles out. Vine Hill follows at 0.6 miles, then Martinez at 1.6 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Martinez Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Fish documented in Contra Costa County include striped bass, green sturgeon and white sturgeon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Read Martinez Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 71°F and January near 47°F. Summer heat is the limit here, not winter cold. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. The season on Martinez Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Fishing from a pier is possible 130 yards away. A picnic spot sits half a mile from the bank. Moorhen Marsh runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Mallard Reservoir at 3.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Martinez Reservoir before loading the car.