Ward Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Trinity County, California, is where Ward Lake sits. Country round the bank runs to mixed woodland. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Nearest place of any size is Weaverville, 19 miles away. Chico sits 104 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Ward Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Trinity County list rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, brook trout, klamath smallscale sucker and bluegill. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Ward Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 30°F in December to roughly 57°F in August. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Ward Lake. Warm spells bring fish up, cold snaps push them down.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. You can camp 150 yards off, which suits an early start. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Horseshoe Lake, 0.7 miles out. What applies at Ward Lake may have changed since it was mapped.