Santa Ana River Lakes: Huckleberry Pond

Are you looking for a place to take your kids fishing for the first time?  How about a place for a quick trout dinner at, or near, store prices?

Santa Ana River Lakes is located where the 91 and 55 freeways meet.  It is a private lake, and therefore does not require a fishing license.  The main lake will be addressed on another page, this page will discuss the "kiddie" area. 

The Huckleberry Pond is an enclosed pond with a concrete path surrounding it.  The pond itself is not very deep.  Each week the pond is stocked with rainbow trout from the Mt. Lassen hatchery.  There is no charge to enter or park at the pond.  Staff is on hand to help you rig your pole, or you can borrow one.  The also supply your bait, courtesy of the Power Bait company.

The staff will help squeamish kids (or moms and dads) land the fish for the kids.  Unfortunately, we hope the squeamishness stops there, but this is not a "Catch and Release" pond.  Whatever you land, you must keep.  Huckleberry Pond charges approximately $4 per lb.  Local grocery stores charge you $3.50 to $4.50/lb for rainbows, and they too are form Mt. Lassen! At an average price per pound, you get your money's worth when  your child reels in their first fish. You can expect to hook-up at least once every 3 to 5 minutes with the fish averaging about a pound each.  This can get become a very bad situation, as lots of fish can get expensive and your child may get upset that they cannot fish anymore.

We highly recommend pacing the kids.  Walk around the pond, let's look at everyone else's fish.  Look at the birds trying to get into the ponds through the nets.  Have lunch at the picnic tables.  Talk a walk down to the big lake and look at the fish there.  Nothings worse then showing up to fish, yanking in 3 fish in 15 minutes and then telling the kids you have to go.  Stretch out your time together, you only have so much.