Black Butte Lake Fishing in Glenn County, California

• Overview

  Glenn County, California, is where Black Butte Lake sits. It sits in pine and hardwood. At 4.4 sq miles you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. Some 17 miles of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. By size it stands out even at California level. Supplies mean a trip to Orland, 9.6 miles off. Corning lies 14 miles off, Rancho Tehama Reserve another 16 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Black Butte Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Records held for Glenn County cover green sturgeon, Chinook salmon, striped bass, Sacramento sucker and common carp. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Black Butte Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 80°F; by December the average is down near 45°F. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Time your trip to Black Butte Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Dead Rabbit sits 17 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Black Butte Lake carry more weight than any list.