Gold Lake Fishing near Portola, California

• Overview

  Gold Lake stands in Plumas County, California. The country round it is farm and woodlot from end to end. At 484 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The outline measures near 3.8 miles, so local knowledge counts. Size puts it in the front rank of our Plumas County list. Portola sits 14 miles from the bank. East Quincy is 22 miles away, with Quincy at 24 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Gold Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Plumas County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker, brown trout and green sunfish. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Gold Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 63°F; by January the average is down near 30°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. That is the shape of the year on Gold Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Gold Lake Boat Ramp is the mapped launch, some half a mile from here. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Squaw Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. For Gold Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.