Fishing at Trout Lake, Siskiyou County, California

• Overview

  Trout Lake falls in Siskiyou County, part of California. The water sits 2,585 feet up. It runs to roughly 143 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. About 2.7 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It is among the larger waters listed here for Siskiyou County. Supplies mean a trip to Montague, 4 miles off. The big place round here is Chico, 139 miles distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Trout Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Records held for Siskiyou County cover rainbow trout, brook trout, Chinook salmon, klamath smallscale sucker and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Trout Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 72°F in August and bottom out at 36°F in January. Temperatures stay workable through the cold season. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. It holds true on Trout Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Steamboat Lake, 1.1 miles out. None of that is settled for Trout Lake in what we hold.