Antelope Plains in Modoc County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Antelope Plains is a Modoc County water, California side. The surface lies 4,908 feet up. About 3.1 sq miles, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 13 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. It ranks high for size among our Modoc County listings. Alturas is the closest place, 16 miles off. For a city, Chico is 142 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Antelope Plains

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Modoc County include Sacramento sucker, modoc sucker, rainbow trout and green sunfish. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Antelope Plains rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 29°F in January and 66°F in August. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. On Antelope Plains the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapped as intermittent, it fills after rain and shrinks between. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Mapes Reservoir sits 2.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Antelope Plains before loading the car.