Elk Lake Fishing Guide, Tehama County, California

• Overview

  In California, Elk Lake belongs to Tehama County. The setting is rolling hill. A pocket of water where every cast reaches cover. For a base, Covelo sits 22 miles out. For a city, Chico is 61 miles off. Also worth knowing: Long Lake (4.7 miles), Hammerhorn Lake some 4.8 miles off, Howard Lake (8.8 miles), Swan Lake some 11 miles off and North Yolla Bolly Lake (14 miles). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Elk Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. 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. Records held for Tehama County cover Chinook salmon, green sturgeon, Sacramento sucker, rainbow trout and black crappie. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Elk Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between March at about 36°F and August at about 61°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A lid forms in a hard winter only. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Expect Elk Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Long Lake, 4.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Elk Lake in particular, ask before you travel.