Los Gatos Creek giant salmon spawning
Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2023 8:44 pm
I live in Santa Clara County. Currently over the last couple weeks since that first half inch storm 3 weeks ago, huge chinook salmon have moved into the Guadalupe River and its tributary Los Gatos Creek. A monitor already counted 200 fish a week ago. Historically unprecedented numbers of fish the result of the South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition cleaning up these urban streams over the last couple decades and the heavy winter precipitation of 2022/2023 fish can apparently smell effects of. Lots of giant 2 to 4 foot long fish. Illegal to fish of course, so just for viewing, so bring a camera and binoculars. I as a rare person that visits our streams, raised the flag on Nextdoor that has since caught the attention of KTVU Channel 2 and ABC 7.
https://www.ktvu.com/video/1373734
The best areas to see spawning are in the Campbell area viewed from the heavily used paved Los Gatos Creek Trail that runs for miles. One cannot cross the fences along the trail and wander down to the stream that would otherwise scare the fish. The stream flows depend on Lexington Reservoir outflows that at this time of fall are typically a foot or two deep and 20 feet across. Salmon only spawn in limited sections where there are riffles with clean stone cobbles and gravels. The stream is so shallow the fish fins often are sticking out of the water as the females create redd depressions in the stream gravels. Lots of splashing sounds of huge fish wiggling up rapids.
Suggest parking at the city park at the Campbell Avenue creek crossing that has access pathways down to the paved trail. Look at the Google Map. Walk downstream from there to see multiple spots over a mile or two. There are some places to watch right along the creek however I won't divulge that herein publicly.
https://www.ktvu.com/video/1373734
The best areas to see spawning are in the Campbell area viewed from the heavily used paved Los Gatos Creek Trail that runs for miles. One cannot cross the fences along the trail and wander down to the stream that would otherwise scare the fish. The stream flows depend on Lexington Reservoir outflows that at this time of fall are typically a foot or two deep and 20 feet across. Salmon only spawn in limited sections where there are riffles with clean stone cobbles and gravels. The stream is so shallow the fish fins often are sticking out of the water as the females create redd depressions in the stream gravels. Lots of splashing sounds of huge fish wiggling up rapids.
Suggest parking at the city park at the Campbell Avenue creek crossing that has access pathways down to the paved trail. Look at the Google Map. Walk downstream from there to see multiple spots over a mile or two. There are some places to watch right along the creek however I won't divulge that herein publicly.