Old McCormick Reservoir Fishing Guide, Calaveras County, California

• Overview

  Old McCormick Reservoir is a Calaveras County water, California side. Elevation runs to 988 feet. Small at around 11 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The closest town, Rancho Calaveras, is 4.2 miles away. The big place round here is Stockton, 28 miles distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off. Most anglers in the area know New Hogan Lake, 5.5 miles away.

• Where to Fish on Old McCormick Reservoir

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Survey and observation records for Calaveras County include rainbow trout, brown trout and Sacramento sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Old McCormick Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 78°F, with January the cold end at about 46°F. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. That shapes the year on Old McCormick Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapped as intermittent, it fills after rain and shrinks between. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Salt Spring Valley Reservoir, 4.4 miles out. Treat access at Old McCormick Reservoir as something to verify.