Dry Lake in Modoc County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In California, Dry Lake belongs to Modoc County. Elevation runs to 4,144 feet. This is sizeable water at about 484 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. On our Modoc County list it sits near the top for size. Nearest place of any size is Alturas, 41 miles away. Altamont is 43 miles and Klamath Falls 45 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Dry Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Modoc County records list Sacramento sucker, modoc sucker and rainbow trout among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Dry Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 69°F and January at 31°F. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. On Dry Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Cummins Lake is 2.3 miles distant. For Dry Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.