Fishing Medicine Lake in Siskiyou County, California

• Overview

  Medicine Lake is one of the Siskiyou County listings for California. The water sits 6,696 feet up. This is sizeable water at about 442 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. Some 3.7 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Few waters listed in Siskiyou County are bigger. McCloud sits 36 miles from the bank. After that come Mount Shasta at 41 miles and Weed at 42 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Medicine Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Siskiyou County records list rainbow trout, brook trout and Chinook salmon among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Treat Medicine Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 59°F; the cold one sits at 28°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. That is the shape of the year on Medicine Lake. Wind on the bank for a day or two lifts the fishing there.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. A picnic spot sits half a mile from the bank. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Little Medicine Lake at 0.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Medicine Lake are worth checking on the day.