Fishing at Alkali Lake, Modoc County, California

• Overview

  Alkali Lake is set in Modoc County, California. The ground round it is rolling hill. Alturas lies 17 miles from the water. After that come Susanville at 58 miles and Johnstonville at 60 miles. Also worth knowing: Delta Lake (0.6 miles), Bayley Reservoir some 1.6 miles off, Graven Reservoir (3.9 miles), Clarks Reservoir some 4.5 miles off and Flournoy Reservoir (6.8 miles). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Alkali Lake

  This water is saline; the fishing interest, where it exists, sits in the feeder streams rather than the basin itself. The basin is ephemeral: it can stand empty for years between fills. If you are set on fishing this area, look to the rivers and fresh waters nearby instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shape of Alkali Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 30°F to 65°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Anyone fishing Alkali Lake regularly works to that calendar. Falling water concentrates fish into the deeper parts.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Delta Lake is 0.6 miles distant. None of that is settled for Alkali Lake in what we hold.