Lake Mildred Fishing in Yuba County, California

• Overview

  Lake Mildred is one of the Yuba County listings for California. It stands 1,414 feet above sea level. The water covers some 76 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Shoreline comes to about 2.0 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Most waters listed here for Yuba County are larger. 6.3 miles away sits Challenge-Brownsville, the nearest town. Chico is the closest city, 39 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Lake Mildred

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. County-wide records name Chinook salmon, Sacramento sucker and rainbow trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Treat Lake Mildred as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 76°F in July and bottoms out near 45°F in January. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Lake Mildred fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Virginia Ranch Reservoir, 3.2 miles out. For Lake Mildred in particular, ask before you travel.