Butt Valley Reservoir Depth Map & Fishing Spots (CA)

Skip to interactive depth chart

Lake depth chart

Butt Valley Reservoir, CA

Max 70 ft

Today's read

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.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Butt Valley Reservoir

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Butt Valley Reservoir on the board.

Fishing Butt Valley Reservoir: what the data says

1,536-acre reservoir near Plumas County. The lake tops out around 70 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.

Butt Valley Reservoir maps at 1,544 acres behind 13.7 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 54% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Figure 4.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.1 mi at the beam. Plumas County claims this one. Lake Almanor sits 8 mi north — the closest neighbouring chart.

Brown Trout fishing at Butt Valley Reservoir

The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 60 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 32 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (18 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	25 to 60 ft	night & dawn	Break off the point (32 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	5 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (18 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	5 to 35 ft	dawn	Break off the point (32 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Rainbow Trout fishing at Butt Valley Reservoir

When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 32 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (18 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (32 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (18 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (32 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Butt Valley Reservoir

Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 45 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 18 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (18 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (18 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Break off the point (32 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Brown Bullhead fishing at Butt Valley Reservoir

Early season brown bullhead use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 3 to 12 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dusk & night	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Summer	3 to 12 ft	night & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Fall	5 to 15 ft	dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Winter	10 to 25 ft	midday	Deep basin (60 ft)

Common Carp fishing at Butt Valley Reservoir

When the water first warms, common carp slide up into 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 3 to 15 ft game here, winter a 10 to 30 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Summer	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Fall	5 to 18 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Winter	10 to 30 ft	midday	Deep basin (60 ft)

Notable structure

The chart marks 6 structure features on Butt Valley Reservoir; the deepest is Deep basin at about 60 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 60 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 32 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 18 ft
Secondary point: point, around 18 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft

Butt Valley Reservoir 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 Butt Valley Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official California fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Butt Valley Reservoir?

Butt Valley Reservoir is about 70 ft (21 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 Butt Valley Reservoir?

Anglers target brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, common carp on Butt Valley Reservoir.

Where is the best fishing spot on Butt Valley Reservoir?

Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Butt Valley Reservoir?

For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. 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 Butt Valley Reservoir?

Fishing on Butt Valley Reservoir 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

Lake Almanor 8 mi · Round Valley Reservoir 11 mi · Three Lakes 12 mi · Silver Lake 13 mi · Bucks Lake, Lower 17 mi · Grizzly Forebay 19 mi · Silver Lake 24 mi · Antelope Lake 30 mi · Eureka Lake 36 mi · Sly Creek Reservoir 38 mi · Lake Davis 38 mi · Grass Lake 38 mi

See how Butt Valley Reservoir stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in California · best rainbow trout lakes in California · best brown trout lakes in California · best brown bullhead 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.