Blue Lake in Humboldt County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Humboldt County end of California holds Blue Lake. The water sits 2,818 feet up. At 2 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Humboldt County are larger. Nearest town is Willow Creek, 22 miles off. Westhaven-Moonstone is 25 miles away, with Blue Lake at 30 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Blue Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Humboldt County include green sturgeon, flathead grey mullet, rainbow trout and Coho salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Blue Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 64°F, the coldest about 40°F. Warm months push fish deep; cool months bring them back. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. On Blue Lake that shapes the whole year.

• 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. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Red Mountain Lake, 0.4 miles away. Ask locally about Blue Lake if anything is unclear.