Upland Natural Lake · Mixed · Northern California, US

Eagle Lake

Rocky Point at Eagle Lake

Big alkaline high-desert lake out past Susanville, and the native home of the Eagle Lake rainbow — a tough, broad-shouldered strain that learned to live in water most trout would sulk in.

Fair · Rainbow
Balanced Leech · 8-12
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. Hard work without breeze. Look for the dimples.
49% confidence
limited data

Eagle Lake is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindSE 4 km/hCalm · Gusts to 5 km/h
Today's fly
Balanced Leech
Balanced Leech8-12
Proven pattern for this period
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Calm · Gusts to 5 km/h
SE 4 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
WaveFlat calm
Water temp10.8°C
Air temp12°C
CloudClear
Pressure1023 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Cool-season opener and autumn; calm-morning Callibaetis
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

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Bank

Flat calm suits bank fishing near features — points, weed beds, and inflows where fish patrol.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Flying AntsHatch
1
2
1
Gray DrakeHatch
1
1
CallibaetisHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
CH
Chironomid
12-16 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • CDFW Eagle Lake regulations — verify season and limits.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
52%
Cloud25%
Wind65%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 3
Butte Lake
48 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Antelope Lake
52 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Lake Almanor
56 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Rocky Point at Eagle Lake
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Big alkaline high-desert lake out past Susanville, and the native home of the Eagle Lake rainbow — a tough, broad-shouldered strain that learned to live in water most trout would sulk in. The fish run large and pull hard, and you take them on leeches, Sheep Creek specials and damsels, with Callibaetis dries on the calm mornings. It's a tube or boat game, best worked along the tule edges and drop-offs in the cool shoulders of the season. Big fish, slow water, and patience does the rest.

  • Lake
  • Mixed
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Impaired
What this classification means

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Eagle Lake (Lassen County)' (CAL6373200019980806111117), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Nutrients. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · CAL6373200019980806111117

Why this score
  • autumn conditions with clear skies and calm wind.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout Saturday before Memorial Day → 31 December
Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts