Hog Lake Fishing near Red Bluff, California

• Overview

  Hog Lake sits in Tehama County, out in California. It stands 869 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 17 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is among the larger waters listed here for Tehama County. Red Bluff is the closest town at 9.4 miles. The big place round here is Chico, 41 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hog Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Tehama County include Chinook salmon, green sturgeon, Sacramento sucker, rainbow trout and black crappie. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Anyone new to Hog Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 83°F; the cold one sits at 45°F. Winter is a mild inconvenience here, nothing more. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Plan any trip to Hog Lake around it. Short days concentrate it into a narrow window.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Hog Lake Plateau Trailhead is the nearest mapped car park, half a mile out. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Mountain Lake sits 3.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at Hog Lake are worth checking on the day.