Swains Hole in Lassen County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Swains Hole falls in Lassen County, part of California. It lies 5,318 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Head to Burney, 25 miles away, for anything you forgot. Chester follows at 26 miles, then Westwood at 29 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Swains Hole

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Open biodiversity records for Lassen County list rainbow trout, tahoe sucker, Sacramento sucker, brown trout and brook trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Swains Hole the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 63°F; by January the average is down near 31°F. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. The season on Swains Hole follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Tamarack Reservoir at 2.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Swains Hole as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.