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Fishing Sardine Lake, Upper: what the data says
58-acre lake near Sierra County. The lake tops out around 23 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.
Brook Trout fishing at Sardine Lake, Upper
In spring, brook trout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 23 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 20 ft that scores prime in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Sardine Lake, Upper
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 6 to 23 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 23 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. 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 | 6 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 5 to 23 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 20 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 10 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Sardine Lake, Upper?
Sardine Lake, Upper is about 23 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 Sardine Lake, Upper?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brook trout on Sardine Lake, Upper.
Where is the best fishing spot on Sardine Lake, Upper?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 10 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 Sardine Lake, 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.
Nearby waters
Packer Lake · Salmon Lake, Upper · Jamison Lake · Rock Lake · Grass Lake · Weaver Lake
See how Sardine Lake, Upper stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in California · best brook trout lakes in California
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