Folsom Lake for Thanksgiving

aquaregia · Nov 22, 2010

I'm heading to my mother's house in Elk Grove for Thanksgiving, and I was wondering if there's any point to diving Folsom Lake this time of year? It sounds like it'll be cold both in and out of the water (how cold?), with very little to see. I think my family would be more tolerant of a Folsom-excursion than a Monterey-excursion, however.

ChadK · Nov 22, 2010

Haven't heard much about the lake but I know there is nothing to see. It is good just to get wet basically.

aquaregia · Nov 22, 2010

Sounds like why I sometimes dive the Santa Cruz wharf, although we do have bat stars, tunicates and hermissenda to look at. And trash.

Hinalo · Nov 22, 2010

When I was at Folsom Lake last month I saw absolutely nothing but tree stumps and a few rocks. However, it was a great place to do navigation drills or search and recovery. The day I was there the water was 67˚ and vis was 10 ft. Some locals will be along shortly to give a more detailed briefing.

I dove from the 5% boat ramp, which you get to by taking Douglas all the way east to the lake from Rocklin, getting in the park and taking two right turns.

aquaregia · Nov 22, 2010

I assume it won't be 67F in late-November? As all my diving experience is in Monterey, I have a hard time remembering that water temperature in some places changes predictably with seasons.

FishDiver · Nov 23, 2010

aquaregia:
I'm heading to my mother's house in Elk Grove for Thanksgiving, and I was wondering if there's any point to diving Folsom Lake this time of year? It sounds like it'll be cold both in and out of the water (how cold?), with very little to see. I think my family would be more tolerant of a Folsom-excursion than a Monterey-excursion, however.

You will have Monterey-like temps by now, upper 50s at best. It will be murky after the storms, too. My best dives have been off the area formerly known as Dike 8. From Blue Ravine Road there is a turn on to a dirt road and parking area. It is an ungated, unmonitored fee area. Gear up and walk a few hundred yards over the dike. Lots of shad and crayfish, occasional bass and trout.

fuzzybabybunny · Nov 23, 2010

FishDiver:
You will have Monterey-like temps by now, upper 50s at best. It will be murky after the storms, too. My best dives have been off the area formerly known as Dike 8. From Blue Ravine Road there is a turn on to a dirt road and parking area. It is an ungated, unmonitored fee area. Gear up and walk a few hundred yards over the dike. Lots of shad and crayfish, occasional bass and trout.

Is there enough crayfsh to catch and make a meal out of? Like at least 30?

Anti-Hero · Nov 23, 2010

Folsom lake is a mud hole. If you must dive, I'd suggest Negro bar instead. It's down river from Folsom lake, and usually the viz is a bit better. Depth under rainbow bridge is ~45 ft.

You can also find some cool stuff under the bridges, just get there early before the current is running. Here is my unofficial map to diving Negro bar.

The small box is the parking area, and the red line is the trail to the entry.

Teamcasa · Nov 23, 2010

Here's a good thread on diving there.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/norcal/356073-american-river-10-10-10-a.html
I'll also be up that way for Thanksgiving but won't be able to dive the lake.

Anti-Hero · Nov 23, 2010

Technically, it's not the American River; it's Lake Natoma, which then becomes the American after the Nimbus Dam.

Not that it matters at all.

Folsom Lake for Thanksgiving

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