Chipmunk Lake Fishing near Mount Shasta, California

• Overview

  Chipmunk Lake is set in Siskiyou County, California. The country here is mixed woodland. At 2 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Siskiyou County standards. Head to Mount Shasta, 10 miles away, for anything you forgot. Dunsmuir follows at 12 miles, then Weed at 13 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Chipmunk Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Siskiyou County: rainbow trout, brook trout and Chinook salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. At Chipmunk Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 58°F, with December the cold end at about 29°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Plan any trip to Chipmunk Lake around it. Nights draw in quickly late in the season, so plan the walk back.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Porcupine Lake is 1.7 miles distant. Confirm before you fish Chipmunk Lake.