Cascade Lakes, Upper Depth Map & Fishing Spots (CA)

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Lake depth chart

Cascade Lakes, Upper, CA

Max 35 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 Cascade Lakes, Upper

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 Cascade Lakes, Upper on the board.

Fishing Cascade Lakes, Upper: what the data says

78-acre lake near Placer County. The lake tops out around 35 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:

Drawn out, this is 78 acres of water rimmed by 2.6 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2.1) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 60% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 0.6 mi, about 0.5 mi across. The water lies in Placer County. The nearest mapped water is Lake Sterling, 5 mi to the northwest.

Brook Trout fishing at Cascade Lakes, Upper

In spring, brook trout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 3 to 20 ft for winter. Summer brook trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 30 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Deep basin (30 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (16 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Brown Bullhead fishing at Cascade Lakes, Upper

In spring, brown bullhead run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring brown bullhead. Time it for after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dusk & night	Shallow bay flat (4 ft)
Summer	3 to 12 ft	night & dusk	Shallow bay flat (4 ft)
Fall	5 to 15 ft	dusk	Shallow bay flat (4 ft)
Winter	10 to 25 ft	midday	Deep basin (30 ft)

Notable structure

Cascade Lakes, Upper carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 30 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 30 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 16 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 9 ft
Secondary point: point, around 9 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft

Cascade Lakes, Upper 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 Cascade Lakes, Upper specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official California fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Cascade Lakes, Upper?

Cascade Lakes, Upper is about 35 ft (11 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 Cascade Lakes, Upper?

Anglers target brook trout, brown bullhead on Cascade Lakes, Upper.

Where is the best fishing spot on Cascade Lakes, Upper?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Cascade Lakes, Upper?

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 Cascade Lakes, Upper?

Fishing on Cascade Lakes, Upper 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 Sterling 5 mi · Fordyce Lake 6 mi · Meadow Lake 8 mi · Snowflower 9 mi · White Rock Lake 9 mi · French Lake 10 mi · Faucherie Lake 11 mi · Blue Lake 11 mi · Rucker Lake 12 mi · Feely Lake 13 mi · Culbertson Lake 13 mi · Carr Lake 13 mi

See how Cascade Lakes, Upper stacks up: best brook trout lakes in California · best brown bullhead lakes in California

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.