Buck Island Lake Fishing in El Dorado County, California

• Overview

  Buck Island Lake lies in El Dorado County, California. The setting is farm and woodlot. It runs to roughly 39 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. About 1.2 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Size puts it in the front rank of our El Dorado County list. Tahoma lies 8.1 miles from the water. Sunnyside-Tahoe City is 11 miles away, with South Lake Tahoe at 15 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Buck Island Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Records held for El Dorado County cover rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, brook trout, bluegill and great basin cutthroat trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Buck Island Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 61°F in August and bottoms out near 29°F in December. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Buck Island Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. There is a campsite 0.9 miles from the water. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Fawn Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Buck Island Lake carry more weight than any list.