City May Open 2 Public Fishing Ponds

Thousand Oaks residents who have to travel to Simi Valley and Ojai to find public fishing holes could discover a couple closer to home.

The Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency staff is studying the possibility of allowing public fishing at two Dos Vientos Ranch ponds. City officials expect to receive a report in the next two months.

The City Council recently voted 3 to 1 to direct agency staff to study the issue, with Councilwoman Linda Parks the sole opponent.

Councilman Mike Markey, who proposed the idea to the council, wants to convert two ponds on the Newbury Park development’s west side into public recreational fishing holes. The south pond is nearly an acre, and the north pond is nearly 1 1/2 acres.

Area fishing advocates like the idea.

“It would give kids something to do,” said Larry Mack, owner of Conejo Custom Tackle in Thousand Oaks. “There are a lot of kids who would like to fish but are shut off because of a lack of transportation.”

The ponds contain no fish and would have to be stocked by the state Department of Fish and Game. A fishing license would be required, and a limit would be set on the number of fish a person could catch each day, officials said.