Little Bear Lake near Portola: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Little Bear Lake is set in Plumas County, California. The water sits 6,512 feet up. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Our Plumas County list holds plenty of bigger water. Portola is the closest town at 14 miles. The big place round here is Reno, 47 miles distant. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Little Bear Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Plumas County names rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker and brown trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Little Bear Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 61°F and January at 30°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Little Bear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. You can camp about 0.9 miles away, going by the mapping. A toilet block sits half a mile away. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Big Bear Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Little Bear Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.