Lake Sterling Depth Map & Fishing Spots (CA)

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Lake depth chart

Lake Sterling, CA

Max 31 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 Lake Sterling

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 Lake Sterling on the board.

Fishing Lake Sterling: what the data says

102-acre lake near Nevada County. The lake tops out around 31 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 is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

Traced from the shoreline, Lake Sterling runs 103 acres with 1.8 miles of edge. Nearly circular (index 1.3), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Roughly 62% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.5 mi, about 0.4 mi across. You'll find it in Nevada County. The nearest mapped water is Fordyce Lake, 2 mi to the north.

Brook Trout fishing at Lake Sterling

Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Deep basin (26 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (14 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Rainbow Trout fishing at Lake Sterling

The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 6 to 31 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 14 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (14 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	9 to 31 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	6 to 31 ft	dawn	Break off the point (14 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Notable structure

Lake Sterling carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 26 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 26 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 14 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft

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

Check the official California fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Lake Sterling?

Lake Sterling is about 31 ft (9 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 Lake Sterling?

Anglers target brook trout, rainbow trout on Lake Sterling.

Where is the best fishing spot on Lake Sterling?

Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Lake Sterling?

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 Lake Sterling?

Fishing on Lake Sterling 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

Fordyce Lake 2 mi · Meadow Lake 4 mi · French Lake 5 mi · Cascade Lakes, Upper 5 mi · Snowflower 6 mi · Faucherie Lake 6 mi · White Rock Lake 7 mi · Blue Lake 8 mi · Culbertson Lake 8 mi · Sawmill Lake 8 mi · Feely Lake 8 mi · Carr Lake 9 mi

See how Lake Sterling stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in California · best brook trout lakes in California

More water nearby: Nevada County fishing maps (15 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.