Sly Creek Reservoir Depth Map & Fishing Spots (CA)

Skip to interactive depth chart

Lake depth chart

Sly Creek Reservoir, CA

Max 260 ft

Today's read

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.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Sly Creek Reservoir

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 Sly Creek Reservoir on the board.

Fishing Sly Creek Reservoir: what the data says

617-acre reservoir near Butte County. The lake tops out around 260 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:

The drawn water covers 621 acres wrapped in 12 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.4) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 22% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 2.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.3 mi at the beam. It sits in Butte County. If the bite dies, Bucks Lake, Lower is 22 mi to the north.

Brown Trout fishing at Sly Creek Reservoir

Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 25 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 35 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 65 ft, rated good for summer brown trout. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	25 to 60 ft	night & dawn	Main-lake point (65 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	5 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	open water	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	5 to 35 ft	dawn	Break off the point (117 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Rainbow Trout fishing at Sly Creek Reservoir

Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 40 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades good for spring. 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	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	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (117 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Spotted Bass fishing at Sly Creek Reservoir

In spring, spotted bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 40 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 50 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 65 ft, rated good for spring spotted bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot over brush or an underspin + fluke (schoolers) most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (65 ft)	Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head
Summer	15 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (65 ft)	Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers)
Fall	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (65 ft)	Walking topwater, Underspin
Winter	25 to 50 ft	midday	Break off the point (117 ft)	Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon

Notable structure

Sly Creek Reservoir carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 221 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 221 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 117 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 65 ft
Secondary point: point, around 65 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Boat launch — ramp (concrete)
Boat launch — ramp (concrete)

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

Sly Creek Reservoir 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 Sly Creek Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official California fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Sly Creek Reservoir?

Sly Creek Reservoir is about 260 ft (79 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 Sly Creek Reservoir?

Anglers target brown trout, rainbow trout, spotted bass on Sly Creek Reservoir.

Where is the best fishing spot on Sly Creek Reservoir?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates good for rainbow trout in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Sly Creek Reservoir?

For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. 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 Sly Creek Reservoir?

Fishing on Sly Creek Reservoir 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

Bucks Lake, Lower 22 mi · Grizzly Forebay 22 mi · Jamison Lake 23 mi · Rock Lake 23 mi · Grass Lake 23 mi · Eureka Lake 24 mi · Packer Lake 24 mi · Salmon Lake, Upper 24 mi · Silver Lake 25 mi · Sardine Lake, Upper 25 mi · Weaver Lake 26 mi · Three Lakes 26 mi

See how Sly Creek Reservoir stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in California · best brown trout lakes in California · best spotted bass 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.