Grey Rock Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Grey Rock Lake lies within the bounds of Shasta County, California. The setting is farm and woodlot on every side. At 5 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest place of any size is Dunsmuir, 10 miles away. The big place round here is Chico, 101 miles distant. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Grey Rock Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Shasta County cover Chinook salmon, green sturgeon and rainbow trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Grey Rock Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 60°F; the cold one sits at 32°F. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Plan around that when you fish Grey Rock Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Tamarack Lake is 2.3 miles distant. For Grey Rock Lake in particular, ask before you travel.