Bucks Lake, Lower Depth Map & Fishing Spots (CA)

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Lake depth chart

Bucks Lake, Lower, CA

Max 96 ft

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Where to start

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun)Active window

Typical here: May 1 – Oct 1 · multi-brood; a documented midsummer lull when surface temps push fish deep

nymphthe hours before the midday emergence — nymphs rise off the weed tops in a vertical zigzag that can take hours — sources split between slow 2–4 inch strips with long pauses and a quicker steady retrieve; carry both speeds
dunmidday, roughly 11am into early afternoon
spinnermid-to-late-morning falls

Trout browse the weed-bed edges knocking nymphs loose, then cruise the flats sipping duns at midday — the marquee western lake mayfly.

The midday emergence puts cruisers over weed flats in under 20 ft: a casting bubble with a #14 Callibaetis nymph retrieved dead-slow with pauses is the honest match. Between hatch hours, small spoons and #1 inline spinners along the weed edges and drop-offs pick off the same fish.

The event happens over weed flats and weed-bed edges in 20 ft of water or less

Chironomids (stillwater midges)Active window

Typical here: Apr 25 – Oct 31 · end of April to the end of October at Crowley — the main food source for the entire season

nymphearly morning, start of the day — fish the bloodworm ON the bottom — 4–6 inches off the mud before the emergence starts
pupathe cool morning hours are prime — as the emergence builds, slide the pupa up to 12–15 inches off bottom under the indicator; a little wind chop does the jigging

Concentrates by DEPTH BAND and mud type, not a fixed spot: roughly 20–25 ft in spring, deeper midsummer, in against the feeder creeks in summer heat, 5–25 ft in fall. Match the band.

This one translates almost perfectly: a slip float with a 1/64–1/100 oz midge-pattern jig set 4–15 inches off bottom over a mud flat, dead-sticked with the chop doing the work. Depth control is everything — no moving lure imitates a hanging pupa; the float rig IS the technique.

The event happens over open mud flats alongside weedlines, channels and basin edges; feeder-creek mouths in summer heat

Grasshoppers (east-side summer)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 30 · the East Walker and Upper Owens terrestrial program

adultall day in high summer, best when afternoon wind knocks bugs onto the water

Pulls fish to the windward grassy banks and edges for months — fish the bank the wind blows ONTO.

The friendliest crossover of the summer: on lakes, drift the windward bank with a bubble-and-foam-hopper — the bubble's splash doesn't hurt a hopper presentation. On rivers, the same rig dead-drifted along the undercut grass banks, or small gold spinners under the banks between rises.

The event happens over grassy banks, undercut edges and windward shorelines

Next on this water

Damselfly migration · forageMay 25 – Aug 31 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Bucks Lake, Lower

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Fishing Bucks Lake, Lower: what the data says

130-acre lake near Plumas County. The lake tops out around 96 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.

Traced from the shoreline, Bucks Lake, Lower runs 131 acres with 3.1 miles of edge. Index 1.9 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 41% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Call it 1.2 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Plumas County. The nearest mapped water is Grizzly Forebay, 4 mi to the west.

Brook Trout fishing at Bucks Lake, Lower

Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, good in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Lake Trout fishing at Bucks Lake, Lower

Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 29 to 96 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 82 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (24 ft)	Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow)
Summer	29 to 96 ft	dawn	Deep basin (82 ft)	White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger
Fall	10 to 50 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (24 ft)	Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs
Winter	20 to 80 ft	dawn	Deep basin (82 ft)	White tube jig, Airplane jig

Brown Trout fishing at Bucks Lake, Lower

Early season brown trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 25 to 60 ft game here, winter a 5 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 43 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (24 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	25 to 60 ft	night & dawn	Break off the point (43 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	5 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (24 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	5 to 35 ft	dawn	Break off the point (43 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Rainbow Trout fishing at Bucks Lake, Lower

The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (24 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (24 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (43 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Kokanee fishing at Bucks Lake, Lower

Start shallow in spring: kokanee sit in 10 to 30 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 30 to 70 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 82 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Deep basin (82 ft)	Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn
Summer	30 to 70 ft	dawn	Break off the point (43 ft)	Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn
Fall	5 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (43 ft)	Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon
Winter	20 to 80 ft	dawn	Deep basin (82 ft)	Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 82 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 82 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 43 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 24 ft
Secondary point: point, around 24 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft

Bucks Lake, Lower fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for California waters are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Bucks Lake, Lower specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official California fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Bucks Lake, Lower?

Bucks Lake, Lower is about 96 ft (29 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Bucks Lake, Lower?

Anglers target brook trout, lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee on Bucks Lake, Lower.

Where is the best fishing spot on Bucks Lake, Lower?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 82 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Bucks Lake, Lower?

For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Bucks Lake, Lower?

Fishing on Bucks Lake, Lower is regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official California regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Grizzly Forebay 4 mi · Three Lakes 5 mi · Silver Lake 6 mi · Butt Valley Reservoir 17 mi · Round Valley Reservoir 20 mi · Sly Creek Reservoir 22 mi · Lake Almanor 25 mi · Eureka Lake 28 mi · Grass Lake 30 mi · Rock Lake 30 mi · Jamison Lake 30 mi · Salmon Lake, Upper 34 mi

See how Bucks Lake, Lower stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in California · best brown trout lakes in California · best brook trout lakes in California · best kokanee lakes in California

More water nearby: Plumas County fishing maps (14 charts). Browse all California fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.