Cannon Reservoir in Butte County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Cannon Reservoir lies in Butte County, California. Everything around it is oak and grass. About 17 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The closest town, Oroville, is 7 miles away. Berry Creek is 7.3 miles and Thermalito 7.6 miles. No border sits close enough to matter. The character changes with the season more than with the year.

• Where to Fish on Cannon Reservoir

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Fish documented in Butte County include green sturgeon, Chinook salmon and striped bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Cannon Reservoir the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 46°F in December to roughly 78°F in July. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. On Cannon Reservoir that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Morgan Reservoir, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Cannon Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.