Tamarack Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  California holds Tamarack Lake, in Shasta County. The bank is 5,866 feet above sea level. At 22 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Some 12 miles away sits Dunsmuir, the nearest settlement. Chico sits 101 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. If this one is busy: Twin Lakes 0.4 miles off, Grey Rock Lake just 2.3 miles, Highland Lakes 2.5 miles off, Pond Lily Lake just 3.9 miles and Grouse Lake 5 miles off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Tamarack Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Shasta County: Chinook salmon, green sturgeon, rainbow trout, brook trout and Sacramento sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Tamarack Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 60°F for August and 32°F for December. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Expect Tamarack Lake to follow that timing. A rising level after rain switches things on for a day or two.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Twin Lakes, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Tamarack Lake.