Fishing at Upper Lake, Modoc County, California

• Overview

  The Modoc County end of California holds Upper Lake. It sits at 4,446 feet above sea level. This is big water, about 22.1 sq miles, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. The form is near circular, and the shelter is limited when it blows. Size puts it in the front rank of our Modoc County list. Alturas lies 27 miles from the water. The big place round here is Reno, 153 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Upper Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Modoc County, recorded fish include Sacramento sucker, modoc sucker and rainbow trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Read Upper Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 68°F and January at 30°F. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. The season on Upper Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Level Reservoir, 5.8 miles out. Check the position on Upper Lake before loading the car.