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Best channel catfish lakes in California

10 California waters hold channel catfish, 10 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.

1. Lake Havasu — 105 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
2. Clear Lake — 43 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
3. Folsom Lake — 281 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
4. Millerton Lake — 288 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
5. Suisun Bay — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Channel Catfish, Striped Bass
6. Franks Tract — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
7. Lake Del Valle — 135 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
8. Clifton Court Forebay — 68 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Striped Bass
9. Big Break — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Striped Bass
10. Bethany Reservoir — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Striped Bass

When to fish channel catfish in California

• Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
• Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.

Also in California: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best striped bass lakes

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