Fishing Summit Lake in Siskiyou County, California

• Overview

  Summit Lake stands in Siskiyou County, California. Elevation runs to 6,047 feet. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. Start from Happy Camp, 22 miles down the road. For a city, Chico is 142 miles off. Within a short drive: Summit Meadow Lake 0.2 miles, Cliff Lake at about 1.1 miles, Campbell Lake 1.2 miles, Kidder Lake at about 1.9 miles and Buzzard Lake 1.9 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Summit Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Siskiyou County records list rainbow trout, brook trout, Chinook salmon and klamath smallscale sucker among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Summit Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 57°F in August and bottoms out near 32°F in December. Some winters cap it and some do not. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Summit Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Overnight stays are possible about 120 yards out, where camping is mapped. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Summit Meadow Lake is 0.2 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Summit Lake.