Paul Clouse and Al Hurwitz had a very productive day trolling Los Vaqueros Reservoir (LVR) on May 21, 2026. We landed eight fish, including one Largemouth Bass, three Striped Bass, and four Mt. Lassen Rainbow Trout. We released four in excellent condition and kept the largest Striper and three of the Rainbows. All the fish were caught in three coves on the eastern side of the reservoir, including Cox, Howden, and East Coves. We were trolling in 20-30 foot water columns with streamer flies 7.5-10 feet below the surface. We liberally applied a spray scent on the streamers.

Pictured here are Al with a four pound 22 inch Striper, the four fish in the boat, and Paul and Al with their catch on the dock.

The day was very warm with surface water temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. The warmer water temperature has probably slowed the Rainbow Trout bite from what it was recently, but they are still hitting trollled lures with the proper presentation, depth, and boat speed.

As regards fish location, our sense is that the Rainbows are tucked away in the backs of coves near the underwater structure and surface cover. The Stripers on the other hand, being an apex 
predator, are located at the entrance to the coves “cruising” for a meal.

We appreciate the very aggressive Mt. Lassen Trout stocking program which has made LVR one of the premier Trout venues in the Bay Area. We also thank the LVR staff who are so helpful in getting us safely and efficiently on and off the water.

Best regards,
Paul Clouse, Lafayette 
Dr. Al Hurwitz, Saratoga