Looking For Labor Day Weekend Fishing Destinations? Try North Tahoe, Siskiyou County

As Labor Day approaches, consider the destinations of North Lake Tahoe and Siskiyou County! The following is courtesy of the Augustine Agency:

North Lake Tahoe

General Fishing Facts:

• Lake Tahoe is home to brown trout, rainbow trout, Mackinaw and Kokanee salmon.
• Fishing licenses (required in both California and Nevada), tackle, bait and more are available at Swigard’s Ace Hardware in Tahoe City where top fishing spots can be found throughout the area.??

Popular Fishing Spots:

• Goose Meadows Campground is a popular location for fishing and hiking in North Lake Tahoe with fly-fishing for rainbow trout a top activity for visitors. 
• Donner Memorial State Park & Emigrant Trail Museum is a go-to for camping, picnicking, boating, fishing, and more. 
• Spooner to Marlette Trail is popular for picnicking and catch-and-release fishing.
• Maris Reservoir is located off of Highway 267 between Truckee and Northstar. Best catch is Cutthroat – but this area is catch and release only! Good dirt road to the lake. Use a single, barbless hook and spinner. Boats without a motor are allowed.

Fishing Guides:

• Matt “Gilligan” Koles of Gilligan’s Guide Service enjoys guiding anglers of all abilities. With more than 35 years of experience in fly-fishing for Truckee River trout, this fishing veteran can help you with whatever excursion holds your interest.

Fly Fishing: 

• Johnson Tackle & Fly Fishing Service offers lessons such as casting, power and accuracy, reading water, use of light, and more. 
• Sawmill Lake, a 10-acre private lake inside Northstar California, is renowned for its “fighting rainbow trout,” although the lake is reserved for catch-and-release fly-fishing only.
• Johnson Tackle & Fly Fishing Service offers lessons such as casting and the use of angles, power and accuracy, Hinge It Leader Systems, reading water, use of light, fly section, short line indicator nymphing, dries and streamers. 

Fishing Charters:

• Up to five people can enjoy the approximately four-hour private excursion provided by Captain Chris’ Fishing Charter. A fisherman since 1980, Captain Chris runs a 25-foot Skipjack boat with a comfortable cabin and restroom, so you can start your morning looking for prize Mackinaw trout or rainbow trout, depending on the time of year.?
• Hop aboard a 28-foot Baha Cruiser piloted by Chuck Self, owner of Chuck’s Charter Fishing. Featuring a fully enclosed cabin and a large fishing deck, the boat seats you and five of your fishing buddies comfortably while you enjoy the 3½- to 5-hour trip in search of trout and salmon.???
• Sierra Fin Addicts Guide Service is a fishing charter that specializes in shallow water and light table applications for mackinaw, rainbows, and browns. Morning and afternoon half-day trips are available year-round and you can also enjoy open (two to six people) or private trips.?

Discover Siskiyou

Popular Fishing Spots:

• The Klamath River, the second largest river in California, is a go to for anyone looking to do some salmon fishing. 
•  Lake Siskiyou is a reservoir located 2.3 miles from Mt. Shasta. There’s a variety of fish including lake trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and brown trout. Lake Siskiyou has also become a very popular area for lake front camping, which serves as the best of both worlds for your fishing trip! 
• Orr Lake & Campground is home to trout, bass, and catfish and offers a beautiful view of Mt. Shasta. It also has four campsites on the east side of the lake with four double sites on the north end of the lake. 
• Juanita Lake and Picnic Site offers a unique combination of recreation from camping, fishing, and more. There’s typically rainbow trout, brown trout, catfish, and bass that can be found in this lake for fishermen.
• The McCloud River is a designated wild and scenic river that offers a true wilderness experience and has been fished by dignitaries, railroad barons and even presidents. The upper and lower portions are so named by their division at the McCloud Reservoir. The narrow canyon – also famous for its waterfalls – holds deep pools of unpolluted, aerated water meaning great fishing conditions year round, even in the summer months. The McCloud River is also home to one of the most famous strains of Rainbow trout on the planet, exported to stock bodies of water around the world.
• Around fall, when the October Caddis flies return to the river to lay their eggs, this is when fishing the Upper Sacramento provides one of the most enjoyable ways to celebrate fall outside.
• Castle Lake offers awesome sights of jagged granite mountains and is surrounded by pine forests. Fishing for trout involves either trolling or recommended fly-fishing from the northern shore. The lake is stocked with rainbows, brook trout and fingerlings, and the drive to get to the lake is a scenic journey on its own.
• A high alpine lake on the south slope of Mount Eddy, Gumboot Lake is 7 acres wide and about 18-feet deep. The reedy lake is rimmed by a grass shore and pine trees and stocked with rainbow trout. No motorboats are allowed on the lake but it is easily fished from the shore.

Fishing Guides

• Ironhead Guide Service specializes in salmon and steelhead adventures on the Klamath River, with peak season September through March.
• SC Guide Service specializes in drift & Jet Boat Fishing Trips with food, gear and tackle provided. All you need is a fishing license.

Fly Fishing:

• Wild Waters Fly Fishing is a trout specialist based out of Mount Shasta was officially endorsed by Orvis in 2018 as the fly-fishing outfitter of the year. Also partners with McCloud Fly Fishing Adventures.
• Jack Trout Fishing offers guided fly-fishing trips with gourmet meals and unmatched personal attention In California, Oregon & Nevada.
• Kangaroo Lake is a gorgeous reservoir nestled among rocky bluffs and is located conveniently from Callahan or Weed. It is seasonally stocked and is a hotspot for fly fishing, baitcasting and spinning. There’s no boat ramp but motorless boats are permitted

Fishing For The Kids:

• The Mt. Shasta Fish Hatchery is the oldest trout hatchery west of the Mississippi where you can feed the fish. 1 N. Old Stage Road, 530-926-5508, open year-round 8am-sundown. Added bonus: next door to Mt. Shasta Sisson Museum (open March 31-December).
• The Iron Gate Hatchery is a salmon and steelhead hatchery that releases fish back to the Klamath River. In the fall during spawning season, it is also a great spot for kids to watch the salmon run.

Note: For more information, contact the Augustine Agency at augustineagency.com/our-work/. Follow on Facebook, Instagram and subscribe on YouTube.