Hidden Lake Fishing near Nevada City, California

• Overview

  Hidden Lake lies within the bounds of Nevada County, California. Around the bank it is mixed woodland. It covers about 3 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Nevada County list. Nevada City lies 23 miles from the water. Truckee follows at 24 miles, then Grass Valley at 27 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Hidden Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Nevada County list brook trout, rainbow trout and tahoe sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Work Hidden Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 63°F in August and bottoms out near 33°F in January. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hidden Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Island Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Hidden Lake is worth confirming on the day.