Silverwood q & a

[Tekktronic]

I'm planning to take the missus to Silverwood this coming weekend (Sept. 21), and I was hoping I could get some intel. Coupla questions:

1. Anyone know how to shore fish the silverwood dam? I know that fishing the inlet is off limits, but someone told me there was a way to get down to the dam from the view point off Hwy 173. I wanted to verify if shore fishing near the dam is even legal (said source mentioned all-night fishing by the dam is also allowed. Is this correct?).

2. Also, I wanted to ask if there were any specific shore spots my wife and I could target that would produce catfish and decent-sized stripers consistently? In case shore fishing at the dam is not allowed, I want to have back-up spots where I could put wifey on some fish.

I'm not familiar at all with the area besides getting to the docks - and the docks usually fill up on weekends, especially now that it's summertime. Bottom line, I just want my wife to have a good fishing experience outside of pay-to-play; she has yet to land her first fish (she has hooked up to her first ever fish - a trout bigger than my forearm last season @ Corona - but it breached and got off at the very last minute before we could land it :Angry:) , but she is very enthusiastic about fishing. I don't know much about Silverwood Lake, and if you guys could help me out on the 411 with Silverwood, I'd be much obliged. If I can get her pumped up to catch her first fish ever, it would mean more fishing hall passes for me in the future nyahahaha :Twisted: :High Five:!!! Just kidding I really just want her to share in the joy I experience when I'm out on a mission :Fishing Hole: :Fishing Catch: Thanks in advance!

-Tekktronic-

[Tubbytuba]

well the dam is a great legal place to catch big cats and strippers, its even free out there. i caught a limit of micro strippers and a 5 pound cat there last Sunday. so i guess my answer is pound the heck out of that spot bro! p.s. bring anchovies for the strippers. try some other bait for the cats, the key is finding something stinky that the strippers aren't biting.

[Tekktronic]

well the dam is a great legal place to catch big cats and strippers, its even free out there. i caught a limit of micro strippers and a 5 pound cat there last Sunday. so i guess my answer is pound the heck out of that spot bro! p.s. bring anchovies for the strippers. try some other bait for the cats, the key is finding something stinky that the strippers aren't biting.

Thanks Tubbytuba! I'm glad we'll be able to fish there from shore. I hate that I don't have a boat (I'm a pro bono sanitary engineer/personal chef - read:houseband :ROFL: - these days, not proud of it, but that's the way it is as it stands), so the dam it is! Any idea how to get to the shore at the dam? Was my intel right, that you can actually walk down from the lookout point on Hwy 173?

-Tekktronic-

P.S.: Thanks for the bait tip concerning 'chovies. We'll try to bring some :)! but if not, will mack do?

[Nessie Hunter]

The road off 173 goes right up to parking area at east end of Dam..
open 24/7 Free...
You can walk down to water in small area right there or walk across dam and pick your spot (tough walk down the rocks).
Or walk all the way across and set up on West end of dam in limited areas....
Used to be able to drive all the way across Dam to visitor center and rest rooms...
The Dirt Bags ended that for every one!!!!!!!!!!!

If your a hiker or in good shape. You can park at several of the turn outs and hike in to other areas.

The Fee to get in is $10 per car ~ $10 to launch.
Hiking in is free, IF you can find a legal place to park ~ Watch for signs!!!

You can also go past entrance on 138 some distance and take the Miller Canyon Road down to a parking area..
(first left turn pocket you come to)....
This used to be free also, havnt been there for some time????? But its a hike down to water as the road down washed out years ago and has never been fixed!!

Map it, have fun.......
Take plenty of water and sun block!!!! Prepare for high wind by noon...



.

[seal]

The road off 173 goes right up to parking area at east end of Dam..
open 24/7 Free...
You can walk down to water in small area right there or walk across dam and pick your spot (tough walk down the rocks).
Or walk all the way across and set up on West end of dam in limited areas....
Used to be able to drive all the way across Dam to visitor center and rest rooms...
The Dirt Bags ended that for every one!!!!!!!!!!!

If your a hiker or in good shape. You can park at several of the turn outs and hike in to other areas.

The Fee to get in is $10 per car ~ $10 to launch.
Hiking in is free, IF you can find a legal place to park ~ Watch for signs!!!

You can also go past entrance on 138 some distance and take the Miller Canyon Road down to a parking area..
(first left turn pocket you come to)....
This used to be free also, havnt been there for some time????? But its a hike down to water as the road down washed out years ago and has never been fixed!!

Map it, have fun.......
Take plenty of water and sun block!!!! Prepare for high wind by noon...



.

Miller canyon has been closed since fires did damage a few years ago, the gates are closed but the group camp is open on weekends during the summer you still are not supposed to park in the group campground area unless you have one of the campsites. You can park up at the top of Miller and walk down but that is a pretty good treck.

[Tekktronic]

The road off 173 goes right up to parking area at east end of Dam..
open 24/7 Free...
You can walk down to water in small area right there or walk across dam and pick your spot (tough walk down the rocks).
Or walk all the way across and set up on West end of dam in limited areas....
Used to be able to drive all the way across Dam to visitor center and rest rooms...
The Dirt Bags ended that for every one!!!!!!!!!!!

If your a hiker or in good shape. You can park at several of the turn outs and hike in to other areas.

The Fee to get in is $10 per car ~ $10 to launch.
Hiking in is free, IF you can find a legal place to park ~ Watch for signs!!!

You can also go past entrance on 138 some distance and take the Miller Canyon Road down to a parking area..
(first left turn pocket you come to)....
This used to be free also, havnt been there for some time????? But its a hike down to water as the road down washed out years ago and has never been fixed!!

Map it, have fun.......
Take plenty of water and sun block!!!! Prepare for high wind by noon...



.

Thanks, Nessie Hunter! Hiking will be cool, since we're shooting for an early start (negates the need to bring a beach umbrella LOL!!!); we plan on being there at 0530 - 0600, 0700 at the absolute latest.


Miller canyon has been closed since fires did damage a few years ago, the gates are closed but the group camp is open on weekends during the summer you still are not supposed to park in the group campground area unless you have one of the campsites. You can park up at the top of Miller and walk down but that is a pretty good treck.

Seal, I'm guessing Miller Canyon is on the southeastern part of the lake, right? You have to take a hike from one of the parking lots inside the SRA, before you get to the marina, and walk a ways on the trail past the Department of Water area, water tower and buoy line, if I'm looking at Google Maps correctly hahaha!!! So I can walk all the way around the east end onto where Dart Canyon road is?

Nessie Hunter, Seal, I thank you guys for the wealth of information, and will definitely have fun this weekend. If we get some action, I'll be sure to post up a report (and hopefully some fish porn - if we don't forget to take the camera)

[seal]

Yup that's Miller canyon.

[Tubbytuba]

hit the place today and got a limit of micros. place has been wide open for 2 months. the ranger i talked to today said that the park was considering increasing the bag limit from 10 stripers to 20 in the hopes of reducing the population and producing some nice sized line sides for us to target in late winter. don't feel bad about keeping your ten, i would not advise this on any other species or on any other lake. make some tacos with them. CnR the ones smaller than your hand haha

[zack stroud]

As of now it is 5:38 A.M. ETA to silverwood lake : 15 minutes....I'll post a report on what i find.

[Cadillyak]

Standing by...

[seal]

hit the place today and got a limit of micros. place has been wide open for 2 months. the ranger i talked to today said that the park was considering increasing the bag limit from 10 stripers to 20 in the hopes of reducing the population and producing some nice sized line sides for us to target in late winter. don't feel bad about keeping your ten, i would not advise this on any other species or on any other lake. make some tacos with them. CnR the ones smaller than your hand haha

What was the Rangers name?

I don't know about changing that bag limit to 20 fish? I'd think a slot limit along with the 20 fish limit would be more appropriate, taking 20 schoolies is a good thing 20 10+ lbs. is not. There are areas that some fish that may not supposed to be fished that coming out with a bunch of 10+ lbs. in the winter is not beyond the realm of possibility and I'd hate to see 20 10+ lbs. come out of there in one sitting cause more than likely those fish are being sold off and not used for personal consumption.

[seal]

As of now it is 5:38 A.M. ETA to silverwood lake : 15 minutes....I'll post a report on what i find.

Topwater.....

[Tekktronic]

What was the Rangers name?

I don't know about changing that bag limit to 20 fish? I'd think a slot limit along with the 20 fish limit would be more appropriate, taking 20 schoolies is a good thing 20 10+ lbs. is not. There are areas that some fish that may not supposed to be fished that coming out with a bunch of 10+ lbs. in the winter is not beyond the realm of possibility and I'd hate to see 20 10+ lbs. come out of there in one sitting cause more than likely those fish are being sold off and not used for personal consumption.

I say split the difference and call it 15. There's a lot of fish and it's a big lake. And those 10+ lbers, man they're helpful when it's a large party at your house with a bunch of people over LOL!!

[Tubbytuba]

i didnt get a name bro, the point of what he was saying was to reduce the schoolie population. i totally agree that taking 10 or 20 fish up to 10lbs is bad haha. any reason why we have so many micros? when i went on 9/19 i watched giant schools of shad boiling all day, maybe there's a correlation?

[seal]

i didnt get a name bro, the point of what he was saying was to reduce the schoolie population. i totally agree that taking 10 or 20 fish up to 10lbs is bad haha. any reason why we have so many micros? when i went on 9/19 i watched giant schools of shad boiling all day, maybe there's a correlation?

Every year the spawn is different. Last year lack of rain you would think a smaller spawn but because Silverwood was going up and down like a yo yo as far as the lake level goes that creates constant water movement and I believe creates an environment for a good spawn year. Now of course the bigger stripers release a ton of eggs so logic would say take some of the big stripers which might cut down on the schoolies but there is no real method I think that would fix too many schoolies some years, those 10" fish next year will be 2lbs. and better fish so although a nuisance they are good for the future. Only problem is the LMB fry of the year are getting hammered this year, most fish we've cleaned and opened up their belly's have had LMB in them not shad or silversides so far. But the good new for the LMB's is they were going crazy eating the striper fry earlier in the year, circle of life at Silverwood!

On the mini striper deal, birds of a feather flock together so to speak. Mini's usually will not mix too much with bigger stripers just not a good idea if you want to survive, so if you are catching nothing but mini's MOVE!

[Tubbytuba]

the ones i kept had shad and baby lmbs in them, one had a tiny catfish in it too(bout 1,1/2 inches), i could see the wiskers, maybe a bullhead? anyways i think silverwood has just absolutely ridiculous forage, there are so many fish in that lake, many DD's in multiple species too and all this with a ton of fishing pressure. idk, maybe im missing something. my 2 cents.

[seal]

the ones i kept had shad and baby lmbs in them, one had a tiny catfish in it too(bout 1,1/2 inches), i could see the wiskers, maybe a bullhead? anyways i think silverwood has just absolutely ridiculous forage, there are so many fish in that lake, many DD's in multiple species too and all this with a ton of fishing pressure. idk, maybe im missing something. my 2 cents.

It's a unique lake in that all seem to be thriving with the exception of rainbow's the holdover rainbow population has crashed, I don't know if it's the change in stocking locations (only one location stocked last year the Marina, also Miller at the end of the year as usual) if they place those rainbows in the same place the LMB's and stripers just stack up and wait for the dinner bell to go off.

I guess you've been fishing the dam, good to hear the shad are in the belly's since areas I've been fishing seem to be lacking in baitfish but heavy in LMB fry.

[Tubbytuba]

there are tons of 4 inch LMBs there, i have a the same feeling; the stockers can never make it a whole season because there are so many 5 pound bucket mouths out there that can eat an 11 inch rainbow as a snack haha. but i had no idea they only stocked one spot, that certainly doesn't help them any... but man i do love catching those stocker fed trophy LMBs....

[seal]

there are tons of 4 inch LMBs there, i have a the same feeling; the stockers can never make it a whole season because there are so many 5 pound bucket mouths out there that can eat an 11 inch rainbow as a snack haha. but i had no idea they only stocked one spot, that certainly doesn't help them any... but man i do love catching those stocker fed trophy LMBs....

Last year must have been a new driver, he had problems with one stock in Cleghorn and the rest of the year they all went in at the Marina, great if your a striper fisherman or LMB guy but sucks for the trout. Most years they alternate between Cleghorn and the Marina, you gotta keep those stripers guessing!

[Tubbytuba]

i bet there are some 15-25 pounders in there... cant make it too easy on those big boys
you gotta keep those stripers guessing!

[aggs234]

standing by.... im headed to silverwood on tuesday if ne one wants to meet up... ima try that turn out before the exit to the marina.. and hike down... as they say its worth it.
if i can only find parking by that turn out.....

soo let me reiterate the info that was shared... take the main rd. towards the marina.... before the exit to the marina... theres supposed to be a turnout ? correct? is that where im supposed to hike down from ..? hike down from that turn out? if theres ne new info or directs and parking info... it would greatly appreciated..

if i find the spot.. ill post an update and info when i get back tuesday nite..... i plan to start tuesday morn at 5am.

pls lmk... tight lines... to all the fisherman that share info.. and enjoy sharing fishing spots.. good luck everyone.

[seal]

The whole lake is fishing the same there is no special "spot", I'm sorry to let all you down that want coordinates. I fish the whole lake, stripers swim and can actually move around the lake in fact they are known to follow the baitfish or whatever source of food they are targeting, the baitfish or food source determine their location and activity level.

On the upside you are at least doing what many do not, fish the right time of the day. Good luck.

[aggs234]

thanks seal, ur right the fish will follow the food... well ill be to the right of the marina...tuesday.. good luck everyone.. ill post wen i return... hopefully good news...

[Airona124]

are u talking about hiking of the highway or actually in the park?

[stocker]

The coves are another area that you can check out. Drive up to the dam and hang a left on the dirt road-follow it approx 1.5 mi and you'll see some make-shift parking spots on the right side of the road. You're supposed to show your "adventure" pass, a beef of mine since it's national forest land, I digress. At that point, all you have to do is walk a few hundred yards to the water. Dip net some silversides and you'll be onto some cats and striper. I'd also go with a silver kastmasters, storm wildeye suspending 3" baby bass, or tiny traps et al. Larger units are about, (educated and sometimes unwilling) so bring along the swimbaits and heavy hardware as well.

[seal]

The coves are another area that you can check out. Drive up to the dam and hang a left on the dirt road-follow it approx 1.5 mi and you'll see some make-shift parking spots on the right side of the road. You're supposed to show your "adventure" pass, a beef of mine since it's national forest land, I digress. At that point, all you have to do is walk a few hundred yards to the water. Dip net some silversides and you'll be onto some cats and striper. I'd also go with a silver kastmasters, storm wildeye suspending 3" baby bass, or tiny traps et al. Larger units are about, (educated and sometimes unwilling) so bring along the swimbaits and heavy hardware as well.

The Adventure pass sign has been removed, I don't think it's required anymore because of litigation, some areas still required if improvements exist but that does not apply to Lake Silverwood. Now if you get a ticket don't blame me cause it's still an iffy subject but once again the sign that was there at the dirt road is no longer there.