Suttonfield Lake Fishing in Sonoma County, California

• Overview

  The Sonoma County end of California holds Suttonfield Lake. The ground around here is dry hill. Surface area runs to about 24 acres — small enough to read in one session. It lies lower than most water we list in California. The nearest place of any size is Eldridge, 0.5 miles away. For a city, Santa Rosa is 12 miles off. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Suttonfield Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Open biodiversity records for Sonoma County list flathead grey mullet, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and bluegill. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Suttonfield Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 69°F in July and bottoms out near 47°F in January. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. At Suttonfield Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. A pier or jetty stands 110 yards away, which helps on a crowded bank. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Fern Lake is 1.2 miles off. Check the position at Suttonfield Lake before loading the car.