Slate Creek Reservoir in Sierra County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Sierra County, California, this is Slate Creek Reservoir. It sits at 3,586 feet above sea level. It is pond-in-a-field scale, with the far bank a short lob away. On size it sits at the modest end of our Sierra County list. For supplies, Challenge-Brownsville is 15 miles out. Chico sits 42 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Slate Creek Reservoir

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Sierra County: rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and green sunfish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Slate Creek Reservoir that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 66°F; the cold one sits at 38°F. Winter here means light layers, not lost months. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Slate Creek Reservoir. The first warm week of the year changes everything here.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Sly Creek Reservoir, 3.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Slate Creek Reservoir before loading the car.