Smith Lake Fishing Guide, Siskiyou County, California

• Overview

  Smith Lake lies in Siskiyou County, California. It lies 6,942 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 5 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Weed, is 30 miles away. For a city, Chico is 128 miles off. More in the same country: Meeks Meadow Lake 0.4 miles away, Taylor Lake a shade over 0.7 miles, Albert Lake 1.8 miles away, Paynes Lake a shade over 1.9 miles and Upper Albert Lake 2.1 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Siskiyou County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, Chinook salmon, klamath smallscale sucker and brown trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Smith Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 33°F in December to roughly 59°F in August. In milder years the surface never sets. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. It holds true on Smith Lake more years than not. Long dry spells drop the level and concentrate them.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Meeks Meadow Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Smith Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.