Another update on the back ponds. After last month's DFG Commission meeting where the EBPARKS Fisheries Manager very graciously came and gave comment in favor of opening the back ponds NOW instead of March 1, 2012 - the Commission has put the issue back on their agenda for the March 3, 2011 meeting in Los Angeles:

"UPDATE AND POSSIBLE COMMISSION ACTION ON EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK
DISTRICT’S REQUEST TO CONSIDER CHANGES TO THE ALAMEDA CREEK
SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS."

This seems like promising news and I'm feeling that surge of irrational optimism that they might just actually open those darn ponds up this year!

More news after the March 3 meeting.

-Rob

getting those back lakes opened this year would be great news
rob, i would personally like to thank you for all the time and
effort that you have put into getting the arroyo re-opened.:) 

so what happened at the march 3rd meeting?

It looks like November 2011 is the likely time when the ponds will reopen. They voted to bundle this regulation change with some other 2011 reg changes. Why it takes 8 months, I don't know. But November 2011 is better than March 2012.

is november 2011 better than march 2012? no not really i usually stop fishing in november and then start up again in march. so it looks like another lost year of fishing, thanks fish & game.:(

Hey I feel you brother but we can't just sit on the sidelines pissed off hoping our opportunities will come back.

Dial up an email to fgc@fgc.ca.gov and tell them what those ponds mean to you. Tell them about your disappointment that the ponds have been closed for more than a year for no reason, to save nothing.

Tell them how you're the kind of angler who respects the water, practices catch and release, and doesn't leave anything behind (trash). Because I bet you're that kind of guy. Most people on this site are and we deserve that chance to float our tubes down the grasslines in the island pond on a June afternoon chuckin a topwater or just watching the sun go down.

When the ponds do open up, I'll be there standing on the levee at sunrise to welcome you and everyone else back. If it's a cold day in hell when it opens up, I'll wear my jacket.

alright i'll be sending that e-mail, look forward to meeting you on the levee in november