Bummer Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Del Norte County end of California holds Bummer Lake. The water sits 2,093 feet up. Surface area runs to about 2 acres — small enough to read in one session. For a base, Bertsch-Oceanview sits 7.9 miles out. Then Crescent City, 10 miles, and Fort Dick, 11 miles. Nearby alternatives: 4 miles away is Rattlesnake Lake, East Fork Mill Creek sits 4.9 miles out, 6.6 miles away is Dry Lake, Muslatt Lake sits 9.3 miles out and 11 miles away is Ship Mountain Lake. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Bummer Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Del Norte County include cutthroat trout, flathead grey mullet, rainbow trout, tidepool sculpin and cabezon. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Bummer Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 62°F on average, December about 44°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. Bummer Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It is recorded as intermittent, which means the basin empties in dry spells. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Rattlesnake Lake is 4 miles distant. Check the position on Bummer Lake before loading the car.