Lake Siskyou

[Mike O]

Anyone have any intel about fishing lake syskiyou?

I also would like to know whether it's worth it to fish below the dam, or if it's even accessible.

Any help appreciated.

Mike

[Craig Nielsen]

Mike:
Lake Siskiyou is a little known gem. It is five minutes from our door and we fish it frequently. It is a year round fishery. Has some planted and hold over trout, some great smallmouth fishing and some panfish as well. 10 mile per hour speed limit so no skiers or wave runners to contend with. Great fishing out of a small boat or float tube. Can launch at the campground boat ramp for $1 per person or kick out to weed beds in your float tube from the Northshore.

Summer evenings can be magical, fishing poppers for smallmouth while waiting for the Hex Hatch to arrive at dusk which brings all the big heads to the surface. And the views of the Mountain with the alpenglow and sunset, Wow! Oops, almost forgot to mention it is perfect for families and kids!

Here is a link to a blog post (http://www.shastatrout.com/northern-california-trout-and-steelhead-guides-go-bassin) made last summer. For more pictures just go to the Shasta Trout Flickr photostream (http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=33880201@N02&q=lake%20siskiyou).

Feel free to ring for more details. We hope to see you soon!

PS The Box Canyon of the USac below the lake is the toughest wading I have ever encountered, for hardy souls only. Plan on rock climbing, rod in your mouth. Also you should expect to take a fall, hopefully the damage doesn't keep you from getting back out. Cell coverage is poor at best which I discovered after dislocating a shoulder. Only accessible at lowest water levels, if you find the trail it leads to a rope (to keep you from falling off a cliff, then you climb down a ladder to the river). Moving downstream requires some challenging wading through white water and at all but the lowest levels a swim or two. The river is tiny at fishable flows, a creek really and doesn't crowd well, which is usually not an issue ;>). It doesn't fish any better than other parts of the river, but if you are looking for some solitude you will likely find it. Oops, almost forgot to mention the Poison Oak, Rattlesnakes and Bears!

[Mike O]

Thank you...unfortunately, the guys I am going with aren't big fishermen, but it should be fun...