A high mountain reservoir above Quincy at around five thousand feet, cold and scenic in the pine and granite country, and a popular general trout lake that also turns up the occasional surprisingly large fish. It holds rainbows, browns and mackinaw, so it's a mixed game — most fly anglers work the shallows and inlets at ice-off and again in autumn with leeches, damsels and Callibaetis. The high elevation keeps it cool and fishing later into the summer than the lower lakes. A relaxed tube-and-boat stillwater with a big-fish reputation.
A patient day, if you fancy it
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. A flat lough is a quiet lough — wait for the breeze.
38% confidence — limited data
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
NE 4 km/h
Calm
Wave
Flat calm
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
10°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1017 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for brown trout
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
No strong hatch signals at the moment — general searching tactics should work best. Calm conditions may limit drift fishing — consider buzzers or dry fly if fish are rising.
Where
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Bank
Flat calm suits bank fishing near features — points, weed beds, and inflows where fish patrol.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Reservoir BuzzerHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Gray DrakeHatch
2
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
5 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- Cloud cover (mixed) suits the fishery well.
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
About this water
Bucks Lake, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedBucks Lake · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
A high mountain reservoir above Quincy at around five thousand feet, cold and scenic in the pine and granite country, and a popular general trout lake that also turns up the occasional surprisingly large fish. It holds rainbows, browns and mackinaw, so it's a mixed game — most fly anglers work the shallows and inlets at ice-off and again in autumn with leeches, damsels and Callibaetis. The high elevation keeps it cool and fishing later into the summer than the lower lakes. A relaxed tube-and-boat stillwater with a big-fish reputation.
- Reservoir
- Mixed
Bucks Lake · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Bucks Lake · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- Trout1 January → 31 December
Bucks Lake · permits
Good to know
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- CDFW regulations — verify season and limits.
Bucks Lake
Google Places
A high mountain reservoir above Quincy at around five thousand feet, cold and scenic in the pine and granite country, and a popular general trout lake that also turns up the occasional surprisingly large fish.
Species
A patient day, if you fancy it
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. A flat lough is a quiet lough — wait for the breeze.
38% confidence — limited data
Conditions
Wind
NE 4 km/h
Calm
Wave
Flat calm
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
10°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1017 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
64%
Cloud100%
Wind65%
Temp25%
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
No strong hatch signals at the moment — general searching tactics should work best. Calm conditions may limit drift fishing — consider buzzers or dry fly if fish are rising.
Where
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
The plan
Plan A
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Bank
Flat calm suits bank fishing near features — points, weed beds, and inflows where fish patrol.
Why this score
- Cloud cover (mixed) suits the fishery well.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Reservoir BuzzerHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Gray DrakeHatch
2
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- CDFW regulations — verify season and limits.
Directions
About this water
A high mountain reservoir above Quincy at around five thousand feet, cold and scenic in the pine and granite country, and a popular general trout lake that also turns up the occasional surprisingly large fish. It holds rainbows, browns and mackinaw, so it's a mixed game — most fly anglers work the shallows and inlets at ice-off and again in autumn with leeches, damsels and Callibaetis. The high elevation keeps it cool and fishing later into the summer than the lower lakes. A relaxed tube-and-boat stillwater with a big-fish reputation.
- Reservoir
- Mixed
Seasons & zones
- Trout1 January → 31 December
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
A high mountain reservoir above Quincy at around five thousand feet, cold and scenic in the pine and granite country, and a popular general trout lake that also turns up the occasional surprisingly large fish. It holds rainbows, browns and mackinaw, so it's a mixed game — most fly anglers work the shallows and inlets at ice-off and again in autumn with leeches, damsels and Callibaetis. The high elevation keeps it cool and fishing later into the summer than the lower lakes. A relaxed tube-and-boat stillwater with a big-fish reputation.
Other water nearby · 5