Fishing Round Valley Reservoir in Lassen County, California

• Overview

  This water sits in Lassen County, California. The surface lies 5,328 feet up. It measures about 237 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With 3.5 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Few waters listed in Lassen County are bigger. Nearest town is Susanville, 6.6 miles off. Reno is the closest city, 81 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Round Valley Reservoir

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Survey and observation records for Lassen County include rainbow trout, tahoe sucker, Sacramento sucker, brown trout and brook trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Round Valley Reservoir repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 64°F and January near 28°F. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Plan any trip to Round Valley Reservoir around it. Wind direction matters more than wind strength.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Colman Lake at 2.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Round Valley Reservoir for certain.