Fishing Red Lake in Napa County, California

• Overview

  Look for Red Lake in the Napa County part of California. The sea is 30 miles distant. At 3 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Napa County list. Nearest place of any size is Angwin, 1.2 miles away. After that come Deer Park at 4 miles and Saint Helena at 5.9 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Red Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Records held for Napa County cover Chinook salmon, rainbow trout, Sacramento sucker and bluegill. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Red Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 72°F and December near 45°F. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Anyone fishing Red Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lake Henne is 0.2 miles off. Signs at Red Lake carry more weight than any list.