This article will give you a good look at the many great fishing lakes and streams in Lassen County, which is located in along the Nevada border in Northern California.
Lassen County includes part of Lassen Volcanic National Park on its west side, which brings tourists into the region. Many of them pack their fishing gear.
From an angling standpoint, Lassen County is best known for its great trout fishing. In particular, Eagle Lake is famous for its big strain of rainbow trout that can thrive in some lakes where other strains don’t fare well.
Susanville is the largest city in this county of over 30,000 people. Residents here also live in Westwood, Janesville, Johnstonville, Patton Village, Doyle, and other areas.
Besides the fishing spots we’re about to show you below, outdoors lovers coming here may see Cinder Cone and the Painted Dunes and get into hiking, camping, and various water and snow sports.
After checking out the better fishing spots in Lassen County, hold up just another minute and glance through the “Fishing in Neighboring Counties” section. There you will find links to more information about some option in a few nearby areas (the ones we’ve covered so far).
Ash Creek, Upper
This section of Ash Creek, in the Ash Creek State Wildlife Area, is seasonally stocked with catchable rainbow trout.
Expect trout plantings to occasionally from about April to June, and fishing will be best in this time frame.
Bailey Reservoir
This small man-made lake, at about 4,000 feet in elevation near Fredonyer Peak, offers a more secluded fishing experience than some waters.
Bailey Reservoir, located in sage and juniper country, historically is stocked with catchable rainbow trout in the spring.
Blue Lake
This 163-acre lake located at high elevation (about 6,000 feet) near Eagle Peak is a local favorite for anglers.
Blue Lake is stocked with catchable rainbow trout during the mid- to late spring to kick off the main fishing season.
Fishing can be done on the shore in small boats. There is a paved boat ramp.
Fish cleaning is not allowed in the lake, at the water faucets or in restrooms.
The lake also offers camping and picnicking.
For more detailed information, visit the park website.
Buckhorn Reservoir
This 153-acre lake, found east of Button Mountain near the Nevada state line, provides seasonal fishing for anglers.
The lake is stocked with catchable-size Eagle Lake trout near the beginning of the season, typically around May.
Caribou Lake
This 90-acre lake near Caribou Peak is stocked with catchable Eagle Lake trout, usually around May.
Caribou Lake is located in a cluster of lakes that includes Silver Lake and quite a few smaller waters.
The lake is in an area with lots of hiking and the Silver Bowl Campground is located between the two larger lakes.
Clear Creek (Dry Creek)
This small creek with a shallow pond near the Westwood community is stocked with trout a handful of times from late spring into at least early summer.
It’s located between Mountain Meadows Reservoir and Lake Almanor and is popular with locals as well as visitors.
Crater Lake
This 25-acre lake at 7,450 feet on Crater Mountain offers some unique fishing opportunities inside an actual crater.
The lake is stocked with rainbow trout (possibly Eagle Lake strain) and also may provide action for brook trout.
Fly fishing, canoeing and float-tubing are popular here. No motorized boats are allowed.
The lake is open all year but tends to freeze over in the winter, when it will be harder to reach anyway.
The lake also offers camping.
Dodge Reservoir
This 491-acre reservoir is in the high desert (5,600 feet) amid sagebrush and scattered junipers.
Dodge Reservoir is stocked with Eagle Lake trout or other rainbows. Some sources report Lahontan cutthroat and brown trout present, at least historically.
There is a campground that includes a wheelchair accessible vault toilet. Trash collection and potable water is not available, so pack in water and pack out garbage.
For more detailed information, visit the Dodge Reservoir Campground website.
Eagle Lake
This 27,000-acre lake is one of the largest and most popular lakes in Lassen County.
At about 5,000 feet in elevation, Eagle Lake offers a popular summertime getaway and at times an opportunity for ice fishing before the seasonal closure, now at the end of February.
This is the original home of the Eagle Lake strain of trout that are stocked in a variety of lakes in Northern California. They also are stocked here to supplement the population of these big, hard-fighting trout.
Trout in the 3- to 6-pound range are fairly common, and the lake record is over 11 pounds.
The lake also has five campgrounds and the area provides other basic services for visitors.
More: Eagle Lake Fishing
Goodrich Creek, Lower
Lower Goodrich Creek is a small stream that runs through conifer forest and meadows and provides fishing opportunities for anglers.
The creek is stocked with catchable trout several times from late spring to early summer, and wild trout may also be present.
It is located east of the community of Westwood and flows into Mountain Meadows Reservoir.
Hamilton Branch Creek
This short stream in Lassen National Forest is a good place to land stocked trout in moving water.
It’s planted a few times from late spring to early summer, and then fishing success tapers off as water temperatures rise and stocked trout get fished out.
The stream is located near Westwood, below Mountain Meadows Reservoir and above Lake Almanor.
Long Lake
This 28-acre lake near Prospect Peak provides anglers with seclusion and the chance to catch some trout.
Long Lake is stocked with catchable trout most years and also has a resident population of brook trout.
McCoy Flat Reservoir
This reservoir can be a good early prospect for trout fishing, when it might be closer to its 1,800-acre capacity and recently stocked with Eagle Lake and rainbow trout.
But the reservoir tends to all but disappear in drought years, putting a huge damper on the fishing.
In the years when good numbers of fish survive, some really nice holdovers of 16 inches or more can be caught.
Besides the stocked trout, there may be some cutthroat, brook or brown trout available.
At 5,500 feet in elevation, ice fishing may be an option some years.
McCoy Flat Reservoir is located along Highway 44, which also is known as the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway or the Feather Lake Highway.
Mountain Meadows Reservoir
This meadow turned into an artificial lake offers anglers with a variety of fishing options.
Mountain Meadows Reservoir is stocked with catchable rainbow trout during the early season, typically around May.
Anglers can also catch a variety of fish including bass and Sacramento perch.
The lake covers more than 5,000 acres when full but has lots of shallow, marshy areas.
It is near the community of Westwood, just east of the much more famous Lake Almanor. It’s also known as Walker Lake.
Nelson Corral Lake
Also known as Nelson Corral Reservoir, this location has been stocked with Eagle Lake trout fingerlings that grow into catchable fish at the location.
The reservoir is located about 30 miles south of Alturas.
Round Corral Reservoir
This 92-acre reservoir provides a good opportunity for recreational fishing.
The reservoir is stocked with catchable trout, typically a couple times near the beginning of the prime season, likely beginning in May.
This lake is fairly remote, tucked in near the Nevada border more than an hour and a half driving northeast from Susanville.
Shotoverin Lake
This small lake at 6,000 feet in Lassen National Forest is surrounded by alpine terrain and offers seclusion along with cool summertime temperatures.
The lake is stocked with catchable rainbow trout in the late spring and early summer.
It’s located southeast of Silver and Caribou lakes.
Silver Lake
This 112-acre lake at about 6,000 feet offers a variety of fishing options for anglers in a mountain setting.
Silver Lake is stocked with catchable Eagle Lake trout during the late spring and early summer, when fishing peaks.
The lake has in the past also been stocked with brown trout at times and has a population of brook trout.
It is near Caribou Lake and the Caribou Wilderness area, which has lots of smaller lakes.
See the Caribou Lake entry in this article for additional information.
Smith Flat Reservoir
This small reservoir in the Tule Mountain area at times is stocked with catchable Eagle Lake and rainbow trout early each season.
If it’s stocked, it’s a decent bet in the early season, but this location isn’t always listed on stocking schedules.
Susan River
This 67-mile river originates at Silver and Caribou lakes and then runs into McCoy Flat Reservoir and through the town of Susanville before finally feeding into Honey Lake.
The river is divided into lower, middle and upper sections, all of which have been stocked at times.
The lower section is right in Susanville, where the stream is often stocked in the downtown and elementary school areas.
The middle reach is along Highway 36 and the upper section is around Goumaz Campground, both west of Susanville.
Trout stocking usually begins around May and might continue into July, especially in the lower and upper sections.
Fishing in Neighboring Counties
Modoc County: To the north, Modoc County is even farther from L.A. than Lassen, but it’s similarly full of uncrowded lakes and streams with excellent trout fishing.
Shasta County: To the west, the Redding area and rest of Shasta County are loaded with famous fishing holes, from Shasta Lake to the McCloud River to Whiskeytown Lake to … you get the picture.