Fishing at Beeler Reservoir, Modoc County, California

• Overview

  Out in Modoc County, California, sits Beeler Reservoir. The bank is 4,783 feet above sea level. Roughly 383 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. The shoreline runs about 4.9 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It ranks high for size among our Modoc County listings. Alturas is the closest place, 29 miles off. Chico sits 129 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Beeler Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Public occurrence data for Modoc County names Sacramento sucker, modoc sucker, rainbow trout, green sunfish and brook trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Beeler Reservoir fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 29°F and August at about 66°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Some winters cap it and some do not. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. The season on Beeler Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Public mapping marks it as seasonal water rather than permanent. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Spaulding Reservoir at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Beeler Reservoir in what we hold.