Guadalupe River is a River located in Santa Clara County, CA. Starting in San Jose, CA the Guadalupe River flows 16 miles through San Jose, CA before ending in Alviso, CA. The Guadalupe River rises to an elevation of 7 feet and has a surface area of 81,665 square miles. Find maps, fishing guides, weather and recreation information at Guidesly.

About The Guadalupe River, CA

Guadalupe River is a narrow 14-mile long waterway that runs across the city of San Jose in California. It flows northward from the small neighborhood of Erikson at the southern part of the city, to the Alviso Slough where it empties to the southernmost part of the San Francisco Bay. Although the river has many smaller tributaries throughout its whole length, its three major tributaries (namely Los Gatos, Los Alamitos, and Guadalupe Creeks, which in turn, are fed by smaller tributaries originating from the Santa Cruz Mountains) keep the flow of the river alive.

The river was named in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe by Juan Bautista de Anza, a Spanish explorer who camped along the banks of the river in 1776. Historically, the river was shorter and narrower back then. But with the construction of watersheds, channels, culverts, and storm sewers, as well as the re-routing of some natural streams and other small tributaries throughout the river, it became what it is today—a long, strong-flowing waterway that is home to a huge population of wildlife including beavers, terns, and a wide array of fish species.

The Guadalupe River has also seen its fair share of calamities. The river has overflowed several times in the past decades alone, causing massive flooding in the areas around the river. To address this problem, a series of flood control projects were launched by different private and government organizations, with the major component of the said project being completed in 2008. Droughts were also a cause of concern due to high temperatures and decreased rainfall. But these are mitigated as well by releasing more water from the reservoirs when the water level reaches its critical level.              

All About Fishing In Guadalupe River, CA

Guadalupe River is popular for its huge Chinook salmon population. This is due to the waterway’s rather strong current for most of the year—except, of course, during summers when the water level can go quite low. Aside from salmon, the river also carries plenty of fish species that an angler would surely love to target including largemouth bass, rainbow trout, striped bass, common carp, bluegill, flathead catfish, channel catfish, sturgeon, and sunfish.

Fishing in the Guadalupe River is usually done on the banks or while wading through the shallow parts of the river. Popular methods here include fly fishing, spinning, and baitcasting.  Much of the river (and its tributaries) are surrounded by parks, which means anglers can enjoy catching some fish while taking in some nature, fresh air, and sunshine. Fishing in the river does not require any fancy methods or gear. A basic setup of a 7' rod with 10-15lb braided line and a 3-5 foot long 15lb fluorocarbon leader should do the trick. Live or artificial baits are also known to be quite effective in catching some fish. Fly fishing is also quite popular in this waterway as there are numerous areas throughout the stretch of the river that are shallow enough for fly fishing enthusiasts to wade into.    

Fishing Seasonality

Although the old maxim of “the best time to go fishing is whenever you can” has merit when it comes to fishing in the Guadalupe River, anglers should always be aware of how targets (and their preferred food) would react to different water temperatures. While, generally speaking, the warmer the weather, the better fishing, summers may not be productive in Guadalupe River as some parts dry up due to the heat. That said, the best seasons to fish here are during fall and spring as these seasons are when most fish are actively biting.  

Fishing Seasonality

Although the old maxim of “the best time to go fishing is whenever you can” has merit when it comes to fishing in the Guadalupe River, anglers should always be aware of how targets (and their preferred food) would react to different water temperatures. While, generally speaking, the warmer the weather, the better fishing, summers may not be productive in Guadalupe River as some parts dry up due to the heat. That said, the best seasons to fish here are during fall and spring as these seasons are when most fish are actively biting.  

All About Fishing In Guadalupe River, CA

Guadalupe River is popular for its huge Chinook salmon population. This is due to the waterway’s rather strong current for most of the year—except, of course, during summers when the water level can go quite low. Aside from salmon, the river also carries plenty of fish species that an angler would surely love to target including largemouth bass, rainbow trout, striped bass, common carp, bluegill, flathead catfish, channel catfish, sturgeon, and sunfish.

Fishing in the Guadalupe River is usually done on the banks or while wading through the shallow parts of the river. Popular methods here include fly fishing, spinning, and baitcasting.  Much of the river (and its tributaries) are surrounded by parks, which means anglers can enjoy catching some fish while taking in some nature, fresh air, and sunshine. Fishing in the river does not require any fancy methods or gear. A basic setup of a 7' rod with 10-15lb braided line and a 3-5 foot long 15lb fluorocarbon leader should do the trick. Live or artificial baits are also known to be quite effective in catching some fish. Fly fishing is also quite popular in this waterway as there are numerous areas throughout the stretch of the river that are shallow enough for fly fishing enthusiasts to wade into.