Salt Spring Valley Reservoir, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Salt Spring Valley Reservoir in Calaveras County, California. The coast is 38 miles away. Surface area runs to roughly 825 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The margin runs to about 12 miles in total. Size puts it in the front rank of our Calaveras County list. The town to know is Copperopolis, 7.1 miles out. Stockton sits 30 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Salt Spring Valley Reservoir

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. 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. Fish documented in Calaveras County include rainbow trout, brown trout, Sacramento sucker and bluegill. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Take Salt Spring Valley Reservoir a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 78°F, while January sits near 46°F. Temperatures stay workable through the cold season. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. It holds true on Salt Spring Valley Reservoir more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Old McCormick Reservoir sits 4.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Salt Spring Valley Reservoir.