Thanks to all anglers who visited Dixon Lake to enjoy a great catfish season. There were some big fish that went home with our night fishing anglers! We'll be back next summer and we'll let you all know when we're ready to go. That doesn't mean catfish are not here....fall/winter has great opportunities for catfish when anglers target this species. Try deeper ends of the lake and especially after the rains.

The city has chosen a hatchery for this trout season. We are now working with Calaveras Trout Farms. If you are wondering.....Calaveras Trout Farms is actually located in Snelling, CA which is on the north bank of the Merced River and 15 miles north of Merced. We have a tentative dates for our first stocks...which will happen during the week of 11/13 and 11/17. The hatchery has to deliver in two different days due to the size of their trucks. Dixon will be receiving 4000 lbs. of California rainbow trout on Wednesday Nov. 15th and 500 lbs. on Friday Nov. 17th. So the "opening trout season" will officially start on November 18th. The lake will remain open during those stock dates. No set times are known for our first delivery as this is the first time for Calaveras to deliver trout to Dixon Lake. Please have patience as this hatchery to all new to us here at the lake too. New fish.... not Tailwalkers from Nebraska so expect to have to the tackle box loaded to throw at these trout from the Merced River area.

All of the bass have went through the spawning period and the lake has seen large numbers of bass fry.... future world records. Persistence pays off at this lake. As always, to preserve the bass population, always capture the photo and then practice catch and release. For you jig chucker's.... try anything that matches the bait which resembles a small silver minnow or a small rainbow trout jig for the bigger bass. The bass have been starting to chase some smaller chad schools in the cove area.

A NEW LAKE RECORD.... from our recent derby grand prize winner and a lake record was broken by Don Stephensen (long time angler) who pulled in a 16.82 pound Tailwalker rainbow trout while only using 4 pound test fishing line. The fish battled for 20 minutes before finally coming ashore. Don was using a "green smoking worm jig" between Pier #2 and Trout cove shoreline. Don didn't give much time for the ink to dry as Steve Capps's name was only there for less than 6 weeks. It the third trout this season to be over the 16 pound mark. Check out our website for these wall of fame photos and other fish photos.

Dixon Lake staff encourages anglers who qualify to take advantage of “Senior/Military Wednesdays.” Senior citizens 60 and better and military personnel are eligible to rent an all-day motor boat for $18, or an all-day row boat for $12 Permits are $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for seniors over 60 and youths between the ages of 8-15 years old.