Bear Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Bear Lake belongs to Plumas County, California. The bank is 5,676 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Plumas County. Magalia sits 16 miles from the bank. It is 30 miles to Chico, the nearest city. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Plumas County include rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker and brown trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Bear Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 35°F and July at about 64°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. The season on Bear Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Spring Valley Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. For Bear Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.