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Fishing Frenchman Lake: what the data says
1,527-acre lake near Plumas County. The lake tops out around 120 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Frenchman Lake
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Bullhead fishing at Frenchman Lake
Spring brown bullhead on Frenchman Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 102 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 54 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 30 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 30 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Frenchman Lake?
Frenchman Lake is about 120 ft 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 Frenchman Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown bullhead on Frenchman Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Frenchman Lake?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Frenchman Lake?
For rainbow 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.
Nearby waters
Lake Davis · Antelope Lake · Salmon Lake, Upper · White Rock Lake · Grass Lake · Sardine Lake, Upper
See how Frenchman Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in California · best brown bullhead lakes in California
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