Frenchman Lake is a Plumas County reservoir out on the dry, sage-edged side of the Sierra, and it has a reputation for growing rainbows fat and strong. It's a Callibaetis lake at heart — those speckled mayflies come off the calm flats and the trout key on them, which makes for some of the most satisfying sight-fishing on stillwater you'll find anywhere this side of the crest. The rest of the time it's a chironomid game, patient and rewarding. Wind is the lake's mood-setter; learn to read it and you've half-solved the place. It fishes best in the cool shoulders of the year, with high summer warming the shallows and sending fish to the cooler depths. Don't overlook the browns holding tight to structure — they're fewer, but they're the ones you'll remember.
- Reservoir
- Mixed