North Lake in San Bernardino County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  San Bernardino County in California is where North Lake sits. Height above sea level is 2,474 feet. It runs to roughly 140 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 2.0 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Silver Lakes is the closest place, 0.2 miles off. Further out sit Adelanto (12 miles) and Victorville (15 miles). This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on North Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Fish documented in San Bernardino County include green sunfish, black bullhead, rainbow trout and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The near bank of North Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 44°F to 82°F. Winter is a mild inconvenience here, nothing more. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. On North Lake the same rules apply, with local timing. Weed growth peaks in late summer and changes where you can fish.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try South Lake, 0.8 miles away. For North Lake in particular, ask before you travel.