Bethany Reservoir is a reservoir in California, near Alameda County.
Bethany Reservoir is a reservoir in Alameda County, California and covers about 163.2 acres, reaches about 48.2 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 3,382.3 acre-feet.
A point, weed edge, or small drop is more important than simply covering the whole shoreline; keep line light around small clear-water fish. Deep water at Bethany Reservoir gives fish room to move away from shore as summer heat and bright light build.
Fish listed for Bethany Reservoir include Black Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Hardhead, Hitch, Largemouth Bass, Prickly Sculpin, Sacramento Blackfish, Sacramento Pikeminnow, Sacramento Sucker, Rainbow Trout, Threadfin Shad, and Threespine Stickleback.
The first black crappie pass on Bethany Reservoir should fish a small jig or minnow around wood, weeds, and sharp little drops.
While looking for bluegill on Bethany Reservoir, use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets.
For largemouth bass, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover; begin where shallow cover meets depth, then work the bottom where the bank turns steep.
To begin with channel catfish on Bethany Reservoir, fish cut bait or a nightcrawler on the bottom along a channel edge or warm flat.
Other targets listed here include Rainbow Trout, and Common Carp; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig; change retrieve speed before changing lures.
Make one shallow pass and one deeper pass on the same shoreline; that shows whether fish are tight to cover or using the first break; use water color to choose the first lure, then make one pass close to bottom.
Early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again; follow any bait found near the surface, then note the exact cover that gives a bite.
A light spinning rod, thin line, a few small spoons, inline spinners, and jigs cover the listed trout; carry one slightly heavier setup when other fish or windy water call for more control; watch for food before choosing lure depth; return to productive water when light changes.
Record the wind, water color, depth along the active edge, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce; fish one point at two depths, then repeat the first clean pattern.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.