Fishing in California: Top Spots for Freshwater Angling in the Golden State

In a state as large as California, it can be tough to know where to begin your fishing journey. California anglers have been discussing the best freshwater angling spots for years, and now their knowledge is available for all.

Though every spot in California has its perks, here are some of anglers’ favorite spots for freshwater fishing in the Golden State.

1. Lake El Capitan
If you’re looking for bass, Game & Fish magazine encourages you to look no further than Lake El Capitan in San Diego County. Great for fishing year-round, the heaviest largemouth bass caught in this body of water to date was 15.31 pounds. As the years go on, the fish in the lake just keep getting larger. Because the smaller fish on which bass feed are quite active in this lake relative to others, many different types of bait are effective here.

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2. Castaic Lake
The World Fishing Network cited Castaic Lake as a great spot for bass fishing. Six of the world’s 25 largest bass were found here, and four of those six ranked in the top 10 worldwide. Additionally, California’s record largemouth bass was caught here. The Network noted that it is best to fish off the Castaic Dam because nutrient-rich water will work its way toward the dam, attracting the bass.

3. Lake Shasta
For general fishing, Fish With JD considers Lake Shasta the best in the state. The main reason for this distinction is the great diversity of species living in this water, including king salmon, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, catfish, sturgeon, and spotted bass, just to name a few. Many of the fish here grow to good sizes, and recently, some spotted bass found here have almost been as large as world-record class fish. Lake Shasta is good for year-round fishing and is easy to access thanks to a number of ramps and marinas along its shores.

4. Clear Lake
Clear Lake, in the Sacramento area, draws professional bass fishermen from across the nation, and as California’s largest natural lake, it’s a great place to vacation, according to Monty’s Musings, a travel blog.

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5. Sacramento River
AZCentral called the Sacramento River “arguably California's best fishing river.” It holds state records for Chinook and pink salmon, and is popular also for trout and striped bass.

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