Solitaire Lake near Happy Camp: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in Siskiyou County, California. The bank gives way to mixed woodland. At 2 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Siskiyou County are larger. 18 miles away sits Happy Camp, the nearest town. Bertsch-Oceanview follows at 26 miles, then Crescent City at 28 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Solitaire Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Siskiyou County include rainbow trout, brook trout, Chinook salmon, klamath smallscale sucker and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Solitaire Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 60°F and December about 38°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Time your trip to Solitaire Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Records show it does not hold water year-round. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Lost Spoon Lake sits 1.3 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Solitaire Lake in what we hold.