Magalia Reservoir Fishing in Butte County, California

• Overview

  Magalia Reservoir stands in Butte County, California. It stands 2,224 feet above sea level. It measures about 52 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The whole outline is near 1.5 miles, and most of it is walkable. Magalia is the closest town at 0.7 miles. The nearest city of size is Chico, 15 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Magalia Reservoir

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Across Butte County, recorded fish include green sturgeon, Chinook salmon, striped bass, rainbow trout and Sacramento sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Magalia Reservoir gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 76°F; by December the average is down near 45°F. The hard part of the year is the heat, not the cold. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Magalia Reservoir fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Lake De Sabla at 3.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Magalia Reservoir should be assumed from this page alone.