Upper Seven Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Upper Seven Lake lies in Shasta County, California. Elevation runs to 6,266 feet. At 5 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. 11 miles away sits Dunsmuir, the nearest town. The big place round here is Chico, 106 miles distant. If this one is busy: Lower Seven Lake after 0.2 miles, 0.5 miles away is Lake Helen, Upper Cliff Lake after 0.6 miles, 0.8 miles away is Upper Mumbo Lake and Cliff Lake after 0.9 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Upper Seven Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Shasta County include Chinook salmon, green sturgeon, rainbow trout and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Upper Seven Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 60°F in August and bottom out at 31°F in December. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Anyone fishing Upper Seven Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Lower Seven Lake, 0.2 miles out. For Upper Seven Lake in particular, ask before you travel.