Fishing at Big Blue Lake, Siskiyou County, California

• Overview

  The Siskiyou County entry here is Big Blue Lake, in California. The country here is farm and woodlot. At roughly 19 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On our Siskiyou County list it sits near the top for size. Weed is the closest town at 31 miles. Chico sits 127 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 Big Blue Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Siskiyou County list rainbow trout, brook trout, Chinook salmon, klamath smallscale sucker and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Big Blue Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 59°F, while December sits near 33°F. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Time your trip to Big Blue Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Upper Albert Lake, 0.5 miles away. Signs at Big Blue Lake carry more weight than any list.