Black Reservoir, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Black Reservoir is one of the Modoc County listings for California. Country round the bank runs to rolling hill. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Modoc County list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Lakeview, is 20 miles distant. After that come Alturas at 32 miles and Altamont at 64 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Black Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Across Modoc County, recorded fish include Sacramento sucker, modoc sucker and rainbow trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Black Reservoir gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in August and bottom out at 29°F in January. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Time your trip to Black Reservoir by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It is recorded as intermittent, which means the basin empties in dry spells. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Enquist Reservoir is 2.4 miles distant. What applies at Black Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.