Spirit Lake Fishing near Happy Camp, California

• Overview

  The Siskiyou County entry here is Spirit Lake, in California. The water sits 5,925 feet up. About 4 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Happy Camp is the closest place, 17 miles off. Yreka lies 35 miles off, Montague another 40 miles. Alternatives close at hand: Toms Lake 0.5 miles off, Rainy Lake about 1.4 miles, Burney Lake 1.4 miles off, Big Elk Lake about 2.3 miles and Blue Granite Lake 2.4 miles off. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Spirit Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Siskiyou County cover rainbow trout, brook trout, Chinook salmon and klamath smallscale sucker. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Spirit Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 60°F and December near 35°F on the long-run figures. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Spirit Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Toms Lake at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Spirit Lake is worth confirming on the day.