fishing · blanford · me

Nolan, Ryan & Dad present —

Our First Fishing Trip.

A field guide for a Saturday morning at the pond — what to bring, where to cast, and which fish to ask for first.

Roseville, California
38°43′N 121°21′W
Distance
4.2 mi
from home
Drive
10 min
paved · accessible
Best Time
7:00 AM
or 5pm evening
Fish
4 species
stocked + native
§ 01 · The Spot

Willow Hill Reservoir.

⟵ the one we've confirmed

Fished It
Verified
2026
Address

321 Barnhill Dr
Folsom, CA 95630

Access
  • ADA route from the entrance to the fishing pier
  • Fishing pier
  • Restrooms on site
  • Play structure & picnic tables
  • Free parking — no day-use fee
Hours

7 AM to one hour after sunset

Drive

~25 miles · about 35 minutes

Why Here First

We drove out here after the first spot turned out to have no pond at all, and this one delivered — an ADA route from the parking lot to the pier, real restrooms, and water with bluegill, redear, bass, and catfish in it. It costs nothing. The entrance is on Barnhill Drive behind Folsom High School; it doesn't look like a park from the road, so trust the address.

The catch is the drive. From our side of Roseville it's a real outing, not a Saturday morning — so this is the trip we plan, while we go hunting for something closer.

Verified in person, and against the City of Folsom's own park record. Nothing goes on this page anymore unless it clears both.

Open in Google Maps
§ 02 · The Atlas

Everywhere else we can go.

Eleven waters within an hour, sorted by how far we have to drive. Dad uses a wheelchair, so “can we get to the water” matters as much as “are there fish.” Each one says how sure we are — and when we are not sure, it says who to call.

We fished it — certain
On the record — the park says so in writing
Call first — real water, unknown access

  1. Coyote Pond Park

    Lincoln 8 mi
    Call first
    Getting to the water

    Paved loop trail all the way around the pond. No restrooms at all — the City of Lincoln lists them as unavailable.

    What’s in it

    Largemouth bass, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, crappie

    Cost

    Free

    The closest water we know of. Rattlesnake warnings are posted along the trails, so stay on the pavement.

    City of Lincoln · 916-434-2450 Directions

  2. Gibson Ranch

    Elverta 11 mi
    Call first
    Getting to the water

    A wooden pier — but the county describes a "worn concrete approach" to it, which could mean anything. Nobody has confirmed it for a chair.

    What’s in it

    Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, bluegill; catfish and trout in season

    Cost

    $5 per car

    A daily fishing permit is sold at the park office, on top of the license. Stop there first. Best odds of anything close to home.

    Gibson Ranch Park · 916-806-3868 Directions

  3. North Natomas Regional Park

    Sacramento 16 mi
    Call first
    Getting to the water

    Flat loop trail described as wheelchair-accessible. No documented way to reach the water itself.

    What’s in it

    Bass, catfish, bluegill; trout some winters

    Cost

    Free

    A CDFW Fishing in the City pond, so it gets stocked. Worth a call about bank access.

    City of Sacramento · 916-264-2706 Directions

  4. Auburn Regional Park

    Auburn 24 mi
    Call first
    Getting to the water

    A large pond encircled by a sidewalk — so you could pick your spot instead of taking whatever one dock offers. Restrooms on site.

    What’s in it

    Stocked rainbow trout, bluegill, the occasional bass

    Cost

    Free

    They run a free Kids Fishing Derby here — sunrise to 10:30am, ages 15 and under, prizes and hot dogs. Ask for the next date.

    Auburn Rec District · 530-885-8461 Directions

  5. Nimbus Flat, Lake Natoma

    Rancho Cordova 24 mi
    On the record
    Getting to the water

    A fishing platform with railings lowered on purpose for people who fish sitting down. Accessible parking, restrooms and picnic tables alongside.

    What’s in it

    Rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, panfish

    Cost

    $10 ($5 with the disabled pass)

    The best-documented accessible fishing in the region. The lake runs cold out of the bottom of Folsom Dam, so trout hold here later in the year.

    Folsom Lake SRA · 916-988-0205 Directions

  6. Hagan Community Park

    Rancho Cordova 24 mi
    Call first
    Getting to the water

    Paved sidewalks through the park and a fishing lagoon. Access at the water is undocumented.

    What’s in it

    Trout in winter, catfish in summer, bluegill year-round

    Cost

    Free with a disabled placard

    Parking is waived for disabled visitors — bring the placard and ask at the kiosk. Otherwise $6 on summer weekends.

    Cordova Rec & Park · 916-842-3300 Directions

  7. Willow Hill Reservoir

    Folsom 25 mi
    We fished it
    Getting to the water

    An ADA route from the entrance all the way to the fishing pier. Restrooms, picnic tables, play structure.

    What’s in it

    Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear, green sunfish, catfish; trout in winter

    Cost

    Free

    The one we have actually fished. Far enough to be a planned outing rather than a Saturday morning.

    Folsom Parks & Rec · 916-355-7285 Directions

  8. Mather Lake

    Mather 26 mi
    Call first
    Getting to the water

    One ADA picnic site and restrooms near Rotary Grove. Nothing published about getting to the water.

    What’s in it

    Trout in the cool months, bass

    Cost

    $8 per car

    Anglers mention a small dock by the boat launch. A Fishing in the City pond, so it does get stocked.

    Sac County Parks · 916-875-7275 Directions

  9. Granite Regional Park

    Sacramento 26 mi
    Call first
    Getting to the water

    An old quarry pond with several shoreline access points. Quarry edges are often firm and close to the water, but nobody has confirmed it.

    What’s in it

    Rainbow trout in winter, channel catfish in summer, bluegill

    Cost

    Free

    Not pretty — ringed by soccer fields and office parks — but genuinely stocked, more than once a season.

    City of Sacramento 311 · 916-264-5011 Directions

  10. Elk Grove Regional Park

    Elk Grove 38 mi
    On the record
    Getting to the water

    ADA parking, paved and level paths throughout, accessible playground. No dedicated fishing structure.

    What’s in it

    Trout planted in the cool months, bluegill, catfish

    Cost

    $5 to park

    Good bones for a chair. Best in late autumn once the first trout plant lands.

    Cosumnes CSD · 916-405-5600 Directions

  11. Rancho Seco Lake

    Herald 52 mi
    On the record
    Getting to the water

    Six fishing piers with access for people with disabilities. Six matters — if one is crowded there are five more.

    What’s in it

    Trout, bass, bluegill, redear, crappie

    Cost

    $15 to park

    Stocked harder than everything else combined — over 11,000 pounds of trout in five months. A real day out, best in April or midwinter.

    SMUD Rancho Seco · 209-748-2318 Directions
Crossed off
  • Every park in Rocklin. City rules forbid fishing in any park without a spot set aside for it, and Rocklin has never set one aside. That closes Sunset Whitney, Quarry Park, Johnson-Springview and the rest.
  • Maidu Regional Park, Roseville. There is no pond there. We drove out and found out the hard way. It is why every entry above tells you how sure we are, and why nothing gets called accessible on this page unless a park says so or we have been there ourselves.
  • West Roseville generally. The pond off Blue Oaks is inside a gated neighborhood, and Mahany Park’s water is protected habitat, not a fishery.
§ 03 · The Hour

When the fish are hungry.

Fish feed hardest in low light — dawn and dusk. Mid-day in warm weather they sink deep and go quiet. Pick a window and you double your chances.

Daily bite chart · Saturday best
5–8 AM
Dawn
8–10 AM
Morning
10–3 PM
Mid-day
3–6 PM
Afternoon
6–9 PM
Dusk
9 PM+
Night

★ Aim for 7am Saturday or 5pm evening.

§ 04 · The Quarry

Who lives in this pond.

Four species, four personalities — but they don't all show up at once. Bluegill and redear bite nearly every day of the year, so set the boys' expectations there. Trout are a winter fish in valley water; catfish wake up at dusk. Anything past bluegill is a bonus.

№ 01

Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss
Winter only
Best Bait

PowerBait (rainbow / chartreuse / orange), salmon eggs, half a nightcrawler

Rigging

Sliding-sinker bottom rig with a #8–12 baitholder hook. Pinch the PowerBait into a tiny meatball.

Winter fish only — roughly October through March. Valley ponds get too warm the rest of the year, so trout is not a summer plan.

№ 02

Bluegill & Redear

Lepomis macrochirus
All year
Best Bait

Tiny piece of nightcrawler, wax worms

Rigging

Small clip-on bobber 18–24" above a #10 hook. No weight needed. Their mouths are tiny — small bites only.

Always biting. The boys' bread-and-butter — fish that say yes every five minutes.

№ 03

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides
Spring best
Best Bait

Whole nightcrawler, soft-plastic worm, in-line spinner

Rigging

Texas-rigged worm on a #2 hook, or just hook the live worm through and let it sink slowly.

Cast near reeds, lily pads, and submerged structure. Smaller bass will hit the bluegill rig too.

№ 04

Channel Catfish

Ictalurus punctatus
Warm evenings
Best Bait

Chicken liver, hot-dog chunks, prepared catfish dough bait

Rigging

Bottom rig with a sliding sinker. Let the bait sit on the bottom and wait.

Evening and night feeders. Save for a future evening trip when the boys are older.

§ 05 · The Paperwork

California Fishing License.

Required for anglers 16 and up. The boys fish free — no license needed under 16. Dad qualifies for a completely free license under Fish & Game Code §7151(a)(4) — the mobility-impairment waiver for anyone permanently unable to move without an assistive device. File form DFW355C once with a physician letter; CDFW mails the license within 15 business days.

CDFW licensing portal
Fee schedule
Resident annual
standard adult
$61.40
Mobility impaired — free
DFW355C + physician letter — §7151(a)(4) F&G Code
$0
One-day license
good for one calendar day
$20.46
Under-16 angler
no license required for either boy
free
§ 06 · Pre-trip

The checklist.

Tap items as you pack. Progress saves to this device — pick up where you left off.

Gear

0 / 12

Bait

0 / 2

Paperwork

0 / 1

Comfort

0 / 8
Ready to start packing?
0 / 23 packed
§ 07 · The Haul

Our gear from Bass Pro.

★ 35 items, opening day kit.

One quick trip to the Rocklin Outdoor World turned into three rod-and-reel combos, a tackle bag big enough to live in, a small library of pre-snelled hooks, two kinds of bait, and — most importantly — a bag of root beer taffy. Everything you need to land your first bluegill.

The inventory
No. 01

Rods & Reels

Three combos, one for each angler. The boys' set is sized for them; dad's is the longer Combo-9×2 Spin.

  • Combo-Extreme Spin (Nolan)
    Spinning combo, sized for a kid
    $59.99
  • Combo-Extreme Spin (Ryan)
    Matching combo, ready to fish
    $59.99
  • Combo 9×2 Spin (Dad)
    Larger spinning combo
    $79.95
No. 02

Storage

Where everything lives between trips.

  • Ascend Pro Tackle Bag
    The big organizer — holds all the small stuff
    $99.99
  • Branded Gallon Bucket × 2
    For bait, ice, or a small catch
    $9.98
No. 03

Line

The clear stuff that connects you to the fish.

  • Berkley Trilene XL Economy
    Monofilament — versatile, easy to handle
    $29.99
No. 04

Hooks

Pre-snelled means the line and knot are already tied — saves you from tying tiny knots at the pond.

  • Snelled Aberdeen Hooks × 7
    Light wire, long shank — perfect for live worms and PowerBait
    $11.83
  • Snelled Baitholder Hooks × 5
    Extra barbs on the shank to hold soft bait
    $14.95
No. 05

Weights & Floats

Get the bait down (or hold it up).

  • Egg Sinkers
    Sliding weights for bottom rigs
    $4.49
  • Split-shot Assortment
    Pinch-on weights, multiple sizes
    $5.99
  • Round Foam Floats × 2
    Classic red-and-white clip-on bobbers
    $7.98
No. 06

Lures

For when the bait fish stop biting and you want to actively chase something bigger.

  • PB Atomic Teaser Jig
    Small jig — finesse presentation for bluegill or trout
    $5.99
  • Shudder Stik
    Soft plastic stickbait — bass candy
    $5.99
No. 07

Bait

The food. Live worms in a cool place, PowerBait in the tackle bag.

  • PowerBait — Trout (biodegradable)
    Pinch tiny meatballs onto the hook
    $5.99
  • Night Crawlers (live)
    Real worms — kids love digging in the tub
    $4.99
No. 08

Snacks

The most important supplies, honestly.

  • JM 12oz Steak Strips
    Jerky — protein for long stretches between bites
    $16.99
  • Root Beer Taffy
    Kid bribery and a small reward for first catch
    $4.99
No. 09

Apparel

Worth wearing even on land. Earn the look.

  • Fish Elite Printed Hoodie
    Cool-weather morning layer
    $65.00
  • Americana Woven Shirt
    Hot-weather button-up
    $34.99
From the receipt · Bass Pro Shops · 916-251-3800
Subtotal (taxable)
$514.45
Sales tax @ 7.25%
$37.30
Round-up donation
$0.27
Total
$573.00
Items in transaction
35