14 public waters in the North Coast & Klamath region — 2 lakes/reservoirs and 12 rivers. Every one is public water fishable on a California licence.
See every public fishing venue in California on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Dry Lake, a 40-acre lake in Del Norte County, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: A Sierra-foothill or Coast-Range reservoir — California's bread-and-butter bass water: spotted, largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, stocked Rainbow Trout in the cool months, landlocked King (Chinook) salmon or Kokanee on many, plus Channel Catfish, Black Crappie and Bluegill.
In Del Norte County, California, Dead Lake is a 27-acre lake, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. A California high-country lake — one of the 1,200-plus catalogued Sierra Nevada alpine lakes, most holding brook, rainbow or Golden Trout (California's state fish, native to the Kern Plateau), stocked historically by pack train and aircraft; reached on foot in the John Muir, Ansel Adams, Emigrant and Trinity Alps wilderness areas.
Siskiyou and Del Norte Counties, California — Klamath River is a 282 km stream, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: A California coastal river (the Smith, Klamath, Trinity, Eel, Russian) — fall and spring King Salmon, winter and Summer Steelhead, Coho Salmon on the north-coast rivers, and sea-run Coastal Cutthroat Trout on the Smith; low-flow closures and quotas are common.
Smith River runs 42 km through Del Norte County, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: A California coastal river (the Smith, Klamath, Trinity, Eel, Russian) — fall and spring King Salmon, winter and Summer Steelhead, Coho Salmon on the north-coast rivers, and sea-run Coastal Cutthroat Trout on the Smith; low-flow closures and quotas are common.
Goose Creek (28 km) flows through Del Norte County, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Jones Creek (22 km) flows through Del Norte County, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
In Del Norte and Humboldt Counties, California, Blue Creek is a 40 km river or creek, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
In Del Norte and Humboldt Counties, California, Bluff Creek is a 41 km river or creek, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Middle Fork Smith River runs 44 km through Del Norte County, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Del Norte County, California — Turwar Creek is a 24 km stream, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Del Norte County, California — Hurdygurdy Creek is a 26 km stream, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
In Del Norte County, California, South Fork Smith River is a 66 km river or creek, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
North Fork Smith River (29 km) flows through Del Norte County, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Lakes and reservoirs across the West Coast typically hold largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, channel and blue catfish, black and white crappie, bluegill, and rainbow, brown and lake trout, with kokanee and other landlocked salmon present in many larger reservoirs -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
The Klamath was one of the most productive salmon rivers on the Pacific coast, historically supporting 650,000-1,000,000 spawning salmon and steelhead a year (Chinook alone reaching 800,000 across spring and fall runs). Both the upper and lower river hold resident rainbow, redband, brook and brown trout, plus green sturgeon, Pacific lamprey and landlocked kokanee. The 2024 removal of four hydroelectric dams reopened 675-970 km of spawning and rearing habitat in the Upper Klamath Basin to salmon migration for the first time in over a century -- one of the largest dam-removal river restorations in US history.
Across its mapped waters, Del Norte County holds 22 species on PiscaMaps, including Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Channel Catfish and Blue Catfish.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the California map Join PiscaMapsOne California sport fishing licence covers every public water in the state, Shasta, Tahoe and the Sacramento included — the resident annual is about $62 (one of the most expensive in the country), the non-resident about $167, and it now runs 12 months from the date of purchase. Add a Bay-Delta Enhancement Stamp (~$7) for the Delta or a Steelhead Report Card (~$10) to fish for steelhead. Youth under 16 fish free. Buy at wildlife.ca.gov.