Millpond Lake Fishing Guide, Santa Cruz County, California

• Overview

  This water sits in Santa Cruz County, California. It lies 302 feet above sea level. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. On size it sits at the modest end of our Santa Cruz County list. For a base, Day Valley sits 3.7 miles out. Then Soquel, 4.7 miles, and Scotts Valley, 4.9 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Millpond Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name flathead grey mullet, rainbow trout, bluegill and cabezon. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Millpond Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 65°F in August and bottom out at 49°F in December. There is no frozen season to plan round. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Millpond Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Williams Reservoir is 4.8 miles off. For Millpond Lake in particular, ask before you travel.