Frenchman Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (CA)

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Lake depth chart

Frenchman Lake, CA

Max 120 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 Frenchman Lake

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 Frenchman Lake on the board.

Fishing Frenchman Lake: what the data says

1,527-acre lake near Plumas County. The lake tops out around 120 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:

Drawn out, this is 1,529 acres of water rimmed by 22.7 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.1) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 45% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 4.1 mi end to end and 1.8 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Plumas County. The nearest mapped water is Lake Davis, 17 mi to the west.

Rainbow Trout fishing at Frenchman Lake

Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 30 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.

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 (30 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (30 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (54 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Brown Bullhead fishing at Frenchman Lake

Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around 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 (102 ft)

Notable structure

Frenchman Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 102 ft down.

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

Public access & boat ramps

Boat launch — ramp
Boat launch — ramp
Lunker Point Boat Launch — ramp

Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Frenchman Lake 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 Frenchman Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official California fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Frenchman Lake?

Frenchman Lake is about 120 ft (37 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 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. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Frenchman Lake?

Fishing on Frenchman Lake 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 Davis 17 mi · Antelope Lake 28 mi · Eureka Lake 30 mi · Grass Lake 30 mi · Rock Lake 30 mi · Salmon Lake, Upper 30 mi · Jamison Lake 30 mi · Sardine Lake, Upper 32 mi · Packer Lake 32 mi · Truckee River (Nevada) 34 mi, NV · Pyramid Lake 34 mi, NV · Virginia Lake 36 mi, NV

See how Frenchman Lake stacks up: best rainbow 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.