Fishing at Hemlock Lake, Siskiyou County, California

• Overview

  This water sits in Siskiyou County, California. It sits in farm and woodlot. At 2 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Siskiyou County are larger. For a base, McCloud sits 19 miles out. The nearest city of size is Chico, 121 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Hemlock Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Siskiyou County cover rainbow trout, brook trout, Chinook salmon and klamath smallscale sucker. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Take Hemlock Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 59°F and December about 29°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. The season on Hemlock Lake rarely departs from it. A settled week fishes better than a changeable one.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Public mapping marks it as seasonal water rather than permanent. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Frog Lake, 1.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Hemlock Lake before loading the car.