The Best Fishing Lakes In California

Guide to top places to fish for bass, catfish, trout and more in CA.

Big Bear Lake, Castiac Lake, Clear Lake, Don Pedro Lake, Lake Almanor, Lake Berryessa, Lake Camanche, Lake Havasu, Lake Nacimiento, Lake Perris, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, Pyramid Lake, Shasta Lake, and others are very popular places for fishing in California, offering anglers the chance to pursue a wide variety of fish species. Ice fishing is popular in winter on those lakes that freeze over and provide safe ice.

The boat rental pages lists options for fishing boat rentals at some of these lakes. Find boat rentals in Northern California, Central California and Southern California.

Bass Lakes
Catfish Lakes
Crappie Lakes
Sunfish & Perch Lakes
Trout Lakes
Striped Bass Lakes
Salmon Lakes

California is home to a wide range of fishing lakes, offering diverse opportunities for anglers to target various species. The state boasts both warm water lakes and cold water lakes, each with its unique characteristics and fish populations.

Warm water lakes in California provide excellent fishing for species such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, and crappie. These lakes are known for their abundance of vegetation, submerged structures, and warm temperatures, creating ideal habitats for these warm water species. Popular warm water lakes in California include Clear Lake, Lake Castaic, Lake Perris, and Lake Nacimiento.

On the other hand, cold water lakes in California offer exceptional fishing opportunities for trout, salmon, and other cold water species. These lakes are typically located in mountainous regions and have cooler water temperatures throughout the year. Popular cold water lakes in California include Lake Tahoe, Lake Shasta, Donner Lake, and Lake Almanor. Anglers can enjoy trolling, casting, or fly fishing for trout, as well as targeting salmon during specific seasons.

In addition to bass, catfish, crappie, trout, and salmon, many of California's fishing lakes are also home to species such as blue catfish, white catfish, striped bass, walleye, and panfish like bluegill and sunfish. The state's diverse water bodies and ecosystems support a wide range of fish species, ensuring there's always something for every angler's preference and skill level.

Whether you're looking to chase largemouth bass in a warm water lake or hook into a trophy-sized trout in a cold water lake, California's fishing lakes provide ample opportunities to enjoy the sport. It's important to check fishing regulations, obtain the necessary permits or licenses, and familiarize yourself with specific lake rules and restrictions before heading out to ensure a successful and enjoyable fishing experience.

Bass

California Delta, Lake Casitas, Clear Lake, Copco Lake, El Capitan Reservoir, Folsom Lake, H. V. Eastman Lake, Hensley Lake, Jenkensin Lake, Lake Almanor, Lake Berryessa, Lake Camanche, Lake Castaic, Lake Del Valle, Lake Don Pedro, Lake Havasu, Lake McClure, Lake Mendocino, Lake Nacimiento, Lake Oroville, Lake Perris, Lower Otay Lake, New Hogan Lake, New Melones Lake, Pyramid Lake, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, San Vicente Reservoir, Shasta Lake, Skinner Reservoir, Stampede Reservoir and Union Valley Reservoir are considered the best options for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. More...

Catfish

Big Bear Lake, Canyon Lake, Clear Lake, Folsom Lake, H. V. Eastman Lake, Hensley Lake, Lake Almanor, Lake Camanche, Lake Don Pedro, Lake Berryessa, Lake Combie, Lake Del Valle, Lake Elsinore, Lake Havasu, Lake Hodges, Lake Mendocino, Lake Nacimiento, Lake Oroville, Lake Sonoma, Los Vaqueros Reservoir, Lower Otay Lake, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, Skinner Reservoir and The California Delta are favorite options for channel, blue, white and flathead catfish. More...

Crappie

Big Bear Lake, Clear Lake, El Capitan Reservoir, Folsom Lake, H. V. Eastman Lake, Hensley Lake, Lake Berryessa, Lake Camanche, Lake Combie, Lake Del Valle, Lake Don Pedro, Lake Elsinore, Lake Mendocino, Lake Nacimiento, Lake Oroville, Lake Sonoma, Lower Otay Lake, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, New Melones Lake and Shaver Lake are some of the most popular for black and white crappie. More...

Sunfish & Panfish

Canyon Lake, Copco Lake, Diamond Valley Lake, Folsom Lake, H. V. Eastman Lake, Hensley Lake, Jenkensin Lake, Lake Almanor, Lake Berryessa, Lake Cachuma, Lake Don Pedro, Lake Combie, Lake Del Valle, Lake Mendocino, Lake Nacimiento, Lake Oroville, Lake Perris, Lake Piru, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, Lower Otay Lake, New Melones Lake, Pyramid Lake, Shasta Lake and Shaver Lake are popular lakes for catching bluegill, bream, perch and other sunfish. More...

Trout

Big Bear Lake, Bass Lake, Boca Reservoir, Bucks Lake, Castaic Lake, Lake Don Pedro, Eagle Lake, Folsom Lake, Hensley Lake, Ice House Reservoir, Jenkensin Lake, Lake Almanor, Lake Alpine, Lake Berryessa, Lake Cachuma, Lake Combie, Lake Del Valle, Lake Lewiston, Lake McClure, Lake Natoma, Lake Oroville, Lake Perris, Lake Pillsbury, Lake Tahoe, Los Vaqueros Reservoir, New Melones Lake, Shasta Lake, Stampede Reservoir, Silver Lake and Union Valley Reservoir are just some of the favorite lakes for rainbow, cutthroat, brook, brown, lake and golden trout fishing. More...

Striped Bass

Canyon Lake, Castaic Lake, Diamond Valley Lake, Lake Del Valle, Lake Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Lake Havasu, Lake Mendocino, Lake Perris, Los Vaqueros Reservoir, New Hogan Lake, Pyramid Lake, San Luis Reservoir, Silverwood Lake, Skinner Reservoir and The California Delta are options for striped bass and hybrid striped bass. More...

Salmon

Bass Lake, Boca Reservoir, Bucks Lake, California Delta, Cherry Lake, Folsom Lake, Lake Berryessa, Ice House Reservoir, Lake Camanche, Lake Don Pedro, Lake Oroville, Lake Tahoe, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, Shasta Lake, Shaver Lake, Stampede Reservoir, Trinity Lake, Union Valley Reservoir and Whiskeytown Lake are potential lakes for chinook, coho and kokanee salmon fishing. More...

Visit the California fishing page for links to information covering a wide variety of fish species and destinations in the state. Visit the California map to identify your best route to these top fishing locations. Look to our sister site for additional information about boating in CA at many of the most popular destinations in the state.