Upper Cummings Reservoir Fishing near Alturas, California

• Overview

  The Modoc County end of California holds Upper Cummings Reservoir. This is mixed woodland ground. It runs to roughly 100 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It is a smooth basin, with the interest below the waterline rather than along it. Alturas sits 6.6 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Lakeview is 47 miles away, with Burney at 70 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Upper Cummings Reservoir

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Across Modoc County, recorded fish include Sacramento sucker, modoc sucker, rainbow trout, green sunfish and brook trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Upper Cummings Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 30°F and July at about 66°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. On Upper Cummings Reservoir that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Public mapping marks it as seasonal water rather than permanent. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Indian Spring Reservoir is 2.1 miles off. Nothing here settles the position at Upper Cummings Reservoir for certain.