Spring Valley Lake Fishing Guide, Plumas County, California

• Overview

  Spring Valley Lake is a Plumas County water, California side. What surrounds it is farm and woodlot. It covers about 22 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Magalia is the closest town at 17 miles. The big place round here is Chico, 31 miles distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Spring Valley Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Plumas County cover rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker, brown trout and green sunfish. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Fish Spring Valley Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 60°F, while January sits near 31°F. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. It sets the rhythm of the year at Spring Valley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Lotts Lake, 0.7 miles out. For Spring Valley Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.