Corralitos Creek
About The Corralitos Creek
About Corralitos Creek, CA
Corralitos Creek is a 14.1 mile long lower tributary of the Pajaro River, located in Santa Cruz County in the state of California. The stream flows southward from the western slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains and passes through the rural areas of Corralitos and Freedom. Its water joins the Salsipuedes Creek after passing through the northernmost part of Watsonville, which is then carried into the Monterey Bay and eventually, to the Pacific Ocean. The stream is also only less than 10 miles away from most of California’s towns and cities such as Amesti, Interlaken, Pajaro, Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, Corralitos, La Selva Beach, Pajaro Dunes, and Rio del Mar. It has an elevation of 1,200 feet and has more than 9 miles of spawning area for fishery and wildlife. Corralitos Creek is also known as Arroyo de los Corralitos.
The stream is known as one of the most productive breeding grounds for steelhead in Santa Cruz County. However, the water body has also experienced a dramatic decrease in its steelhead population especially in the 1990s, which led the government to tag the fish species as “threatened”. With that said, restoration programs have been built and established throughout the years as a way to enhance the fish passage in this water body. In 2013, a certain South-Central California Coast Steelhead Recovery Plan has been put into motion by the National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. This was to ensure minimal impact of in-stream mining on the migration, spawning, and rearing habitats along the Pajaro River and its tributaries, especially Corralitos Creek.
Corralitos Creek Fishing Description
All About Fishing in Corralitos Creek, CA
With Corralitos Creek being a high potential habitat for steelhead trout, anglers can expect more than a decent percentage of their population in the area. There have also been records of smolt or Atlantic salmon migrating through the Corralitos and Salsipuedes Creek so you may find a number of these fish species there, as long as the quality of fish passage appears to be excellent. More popular catches in the stream are largemouth bass, striped bass, and barred surfperch. You may also find an ample population of rainbow trout, pikeminnow, and surf smelt. There are also sightings of Pacific lamprey, chinook salmon, coho salmon, three-spined stickleback, and prickly sculpin here. Californian native species such as Monterey roach, Monterey sucker, Sacramento blackfish, Sacramento pikeminnow, and Sacramento tule perch may also be found in the area.
Fishing in Corralitos Creek requires a fishing license, may you be a resident or non-resident within the vicinity of the area. Ideal fishing techniques used here would be baitcasting and surfcasting. You must also note that only barbless hooks are permitted when angling in the area. Remember to check the rules and regulations first and check the required daily bag and possession limits before fishing out into the area.
Corralitos Creek Seasonal & Other Description
Fishing Seasonality
Because anadromous species reside in Corralitos Creek, it is important to note the spawning periods of these fish species to determine the ideal times of targeting them in the stream. Steelhead trout usually migrate to Corralitos Creek during the cooler winter months, which are from late November to mid-February. Angling pressure can be high for trout species during late May to late July or early August so it would be best to pull back your fishing schedules in the creek during those times if you are aiming for trout. The open season for sport fishing in the creek starts on December 1 to March 7, but only during Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and during opening and closing days.
Temperature and Optimal Seasons
Fishing Seasonality
Because anadromous species reside in Corralitos Creek, it is important to note the spawning periods of these fish species to determine the ideal times of targeting them in the stream. Steelhead trout usually migrate to Corralitos Creek during the cooler winter months, which are from late November to mid-February. Angling pressure can be high for trout species during late May to late July or early August so it would be best to pull back your fishing schedules in the creek during those times if you are aiming for trout. The open season for sport fishing in the creek starts on December 1 to March 7, but only during Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and during opening and closing days.
Corralitos Creek Fish Species
All About Fishing in Corralitos Creek, CA
With Corralitos Creek being a high potential habitat for steelhead trout, anglers can expect more than a decent percentage of their population in the area. There have also been records of smolt or Atlantic salmon migrating through the Corralitos and Salsipuedes Creek so you may find a number of these fish species there, as long as the quality of fish passage appears to be excellent. More popular catches in the stream are largemouth bass, striped bass, and barred surfperch. You may also find an ample population of rainbow trout, pikeminnow, and surf smelt. There are also sightings of Pacific lamprey, chinook salmon, coho salmon, three-spined stickleback, and prickly sculpin here. Californian native species such as Monterey roach, Monterey sucker, Sacramento blackfish, Sacramento pikeminnow, and Sacramento tule perch may also be found in the area.
Fishing in Corralitos Creek requires a fishing license, may you be a resident or non-resident within the vicinity of the area. Ideal fishing techniques used here would be baitcasting and surfcasting. You must also note that only barbless hooks are permitted when angling in the area. Remember to check the rules and regulations first and check the required daily bag and possession limits before fishing out into the area.
