Sifford Lakes near Chester: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Plumas County, Sifford Lakes is a California water. Land around it is open valley. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. Most waters listed here for Plumas County are larger. The nearest place of any size is Chester, 15 miles away. It is 54 miles to Chico, the nearest city. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Sifford Lakes

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Plumas County include rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker, brown trout and green sunfish. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Take Sifford Lakes a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 28°F in January up to 58°F in August. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. At Sifford Lakes the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Hemlock Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Sifford Lakes as something to verify.