Frying Pan Lake near Happy Camp: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  In California, Frying Pan Lake belongs to Siskiyou County. Height above sea level is 5,853 feet. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. On size it sits at the modest end of our Siskiyou County list. The nearest place of any size is Happy Camp, 20 miles away. Then Yreka, 31 miles, and Montague, 36 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Frying Pan Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Siskiyou County records list rainbow trout, brook trout, Chinook salmon and klamath smallscale sucker among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Frying Pan Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 60°F in August and bottom out at 34°F in December. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Expect Frying Pan Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Upper Sky High Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Frying Pan Lake.