Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Sly Creek Reservoir
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Sly Creek Reservoir: what the data says
617-acre reservoir near Butte County. The lake tops out around 260 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.
Brown Trout fishing at Sly Creek Reservoir
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 65 ft of water that rates good for brown trout in summer. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Sly Creek Reservoir
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 117 ft of water that rates good for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| 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) |
Spotted Bass fishing at Sly Creek Reservoir
Start shallow in spring: spotted bass sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 40 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 65 ft that scores good in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot over brush or a underspin + fluke (schoolers) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers) |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Walking topwater, Underspin |
| Winter | 25 to 50 ft | midday | Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon |
Notable structure
- 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
Common questions
How deep is Sly Creek Reservoir?
Sly Creek Reservoir is about 260 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 Sly Creek Reservoir?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout, spotted bass on Sly Creek Reservoir.
Where is the best fishing spot on Sly Creek Reservoir?
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 65 ft of water that rates good for brown trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
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.
Nearby waters
Bucks Lake, Lower · Grizzly Forebay · Silver Lake · Three Lakes · Jamison Lake · Rock Lake
See how Sly Creek Reservoir stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in California · best brown trout lakes in California
Browse all California fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.