Mud Lake Fishing near Quincy, California

• Overview

  Mud Lake is a Plumas County water, California side. It sits at 6,184 feet above sea level. A splashy cast here empties the swim; a quiet one owns it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Plumas County. Quincy lies 14 miles from the water. Chico sits 37 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Plumas County include rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker and brown trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Mud Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 62°F, the coldest about 32°F. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. That shapes the year on Mud Lake. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Blue Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Mud Lake is worth confirming on the day.