Many times we’re asked if there’s somewhere to go fishing in the Thousand Oaks area. There really isn’t a place in the Conejo Valley for the general public to go fishing. Troutdale in Agoura was a fun nearby place to take the kids but it closed a number of years ago. So here’s a list of places to go fishing in and around Ventura County and nearby areas for those wish to fish.

Keep in mind that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife requires a sport fishing license for people ages 16 or older. As of July 2023, an annual resident sport fishing license is $58.58. A one-day license is $19.18. More information at wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing.

Fishing Places Open to the General Public

Lake Casitas Recreation Area is open daily from 6:30 am to 7 pm for boating and fishing. Lake Casitas is filled with largemouth bass, rainbow trout, crappie, red-ear sunfish, bluegill and channel catfish. Boats must be a minimum of 11’ and maximum of 26’ in length and 4’ wide. Canoes, kayaks and some inflatables are allowed. Swimming, wading or body contact in the lake is not allowed, however, as it is a drinking water supply. Fishing licenses sold at the Marina Bait and Tackle Shop. Night fishing available various weekends until 11 pm. Learn more at www.casitaswater.org/recreation/boating-and-fishing. Located at 11311 Santa Ana Road, Ventura. Day use parking at Lake Casitas as of July 2023 is $10 on weekdays and $20 on weekends and holidays. Casitas Boat Rentals & Marina Cafe offers rentals of kayaks, pontoons, paddle boats and motorized boats. casitasboatrentals.com.

Lake Piru Recreation Area is open daily, offering camping, boating, fishing, water sports and other on-shore activities. Visitors can fish from shore, boats, kayaks and float tubes. Fish species at Lake Piru include rainbow trout, bass, crappie, catfish and blue gill. Vehicle day pass admission is $14 during peak season (as of September 2022). explorelakepiru.com

Channel Islands National Park is accessible by booking a trip with Island Packers, the official boat concessionaire for the Park, out of Ventura Harbor and Channel Islands Harbor or by private boat. Fishing is allowed, with the exception at certain protected areas. More info at www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/fishing.htm.

Beach areas where you can fish include Emma Wood State Beach, Port Hueneme Beach, San Buenaventura State Beach, near the Ventura Harbor, Point Mugu State Park and others.

Fishing piers in the local area include:

• Port Hueneme Pier (open daily from 6am to 10pm)

• Malibu Pier - Great place for folks to go who don’t usually fish as you can rent rods and purchase bait and tackle on the pier. And no permits are required to fish on the pier.

• Ventura Pier - open until 10pm. (However, the pier is closed for repairs due to storm damage in 2023. Anticipated to reopen sometime in 2024.)

There is a two and a half acre pond/lagoon at Rancho Simi Community Park at 1765 Royal Avenue, Simi Valley. that I have not personally explored but is another possible local fishing option.

River and stream fishing in Ventura County includes Matilija Creek (Upper North Fork), North Fork Matilija in Ojai, the Sespe Wilderness in Ojai and in the outer bounds of Ventura County in the Mt. Pinos Ranger District.

Enjoy a day (or half day) of sportfishing with these local options:

• Ventura Harbor Sportfishing www.venturasportfishing.com

• Channel Islands Sportfishing www.channelislandssportfishing.com

• Hook’s Landing Sportfishing in the Channel Islands www.hookslanding.net

• Mirage Sportfishing (overnight trips out of Channel Islands Harbor) www.miragesportfishing.com

A Little Farther

Cachuma Lake is located at 1 Lakeview Drive in Santa Barbara off of Highway 154 in Santa Ynez Valley, about 75 miles from the Conejo Valley. Halfway between Santa Barbara and Solvang. Cachuma is a reservoir filled with large mouth bass, rainbow trout, crappie and catfish. A bait/tackle shop is available for one-day fishing licenses. Boats, kayaks and canoes can be rented there too. More info at www.countyofsb.org/637/Cachuma-Lake. Bait/tackle shop info at rockymountainrec.com/lake-facilities/listing/cachuma-lake.

Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, which is open from 7am to 10pm. Stearns Wharf Bait & Tackle on the wharf sells what you need to fish there.

Ocean fishing at Carpinteria State Beach, El Capitan State Beach, Refugio State Beach and other spots.

Places Not Open to the General Public

Lake Bard, located at the intersection of Olsen Road and State Route 23 at the border of Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley is a 10,000 acre-foot surface water reservoir built by the Calleguas Municipal Water District in 1965 to store water to meet peak summer and emergency demands. www.calleguas.com

Westlake Lake is a man-made 125 acre lake with eight miles of shoreline in Westlake Village, This is a private lake paid and maintained for by residents who live in the Westlake Recreation Area. The waters include largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill sunfish and silverside. westlake-lake.com

Lake Sherwood is a 165 acre lake created by the Sherwood Dam that is privately owned and not open to the general public.

The Las Virgenes Reservoir is a 9,800 acre foot reservoir build between 1970 an 1972and is maintained by the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District. It is a reserve supply of water that could provide about six months of emergency water supply, if needed. It is off limits to public use. www.lvmwd.com

Malibou Lake is a privately-owned 350 acre surface area lake in the Santa Monica Mountains near Agoura Hills. The lake was created in 1922 after the Malibu Lake Club Dam was built at the confluence of Triunfo Creek and Medea Creek. www.maliboulake.com

Lake Eleanor is an eight acre lake located within the 513 acre Lake Eleanor Open Space off of Westlake Blvd (SR 23) south of Potrero Road near Westlake Village. It is fenced off from the public in order to create habitat for wildlife. You can see it as you drive south.

Sinaloa Lake in Simi Valley is a private 12 acre lake managed by the Sinaloa Lake Owners Association. There is big mouth bass and other fish in there, but the lake is not available to the general public. sinaloalake.org