Kilborn Lake Fishing near Truckee, California

• Overview

  Kilborn Lake is one of the Placer County waters in California. The setting is mixed woodland on every side. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. 12 miles away sits Truckee, the nearest town. For a city, Reno is 35 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Kilborn Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Placer County include sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, tahoe sucker, brook trout and bluegill. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Treat Kilborn Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 61°F on average, December about 29°F. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Kilborn Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Public data records a pier about 110 yards out. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Facilities run to toilets 170 yards from the water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Kidd Lake, 0.9 miles out. Check the position on Kilborn Lake before loading the car.