Fishing McGowan Lake in Tehama County, California

• Overview

  In California, McGowan Lake belongs to Tehama County. It stands 6,109 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 10 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Head to Chester, 18 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then Shingletown, 19 miles, and Westwood, 29 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on McGowan Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Tehama County list Chinook salmon, green sturgeon and Sacramento sucker. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. McGowan Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 61°F in July and bottom out at 31°F in December. Some winters cap it and some do not. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. McGowan Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Huckleberry Lake, 1.1 miles away. Confirm before you fish McGowan Lake.