25 public waters in the Central Valley region — 15 lakes/reservoirs and 10 rivers, 1 known carp water. 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.
Folsom Lake, a 11,500-acre lake in Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado Counties, 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.
Sherman Lake sits in the Sacramento County portion of the Bay Area & Delta region as a 1,156-acre staging ground for migratory striped bass and Chinook salmon moving through the Delta system. Resident largemouth bass, white sturgeon, and catfish round out a mixed warm- and cool-water fishery that benefits from tidal influence and seasonal spawning runs.
South Stone Lake, a 90-acre lake in Sacramento 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.
Blodgett Reservoir, a 58-acre lake in Sacramento 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.
Lake Greenhaven, a 54-acre lake in Sacramento 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.
Sacramento County, California — Mather Lake is a 40-acre lake, 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.
Sacramento County, California — Elk Grove Park Pond is a 40-acre lake, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: A CDFW-stocked urban or park lake — Rainbow Trout planted through the cool months and Channel Catfish in summer, with resident Largemouth Bass and Bluegill; many are in the regional-park systems around Los Angeles, the Bay Area and Sacramento.
Sacramento County, California — Hagan Community Park Pond is a 40-acre lake, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: A CDFW-stocked urban or park lake — Rainbow Trout planted through the cool months and Channel Catfish in summer, with resident Largemouth Bass and Bluegill; many are in the regional-park systems around Los Angeles, the Bay Area and Sacramento.
Granite Park Pond, a 40-acre lake in Sacramento County, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: A CDFW-stocked urban or park lake — Rainbow Trout planted through the cool months and Channel Catfish in summer, with resident Largemouth Bass and Bluegill; many are in the regional-park systems around Los Angeles, the Bay Area and Sacramento.
Sacramento County, California — Howe Community Park Lake is a 40-acre lake, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: A CDFW-stocked urban or park lake — Rainbow Trout planted through the cool months and Channel Catfish in summer, with resident Largemouth Bass and Bluegill; many are in the regional-park systems around Los Angeles, the Bay Area and Sacramento.
Sacramento County, California — Rancho Seco Lake is a 40-acre lake, 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.
Southside Park Pond, a 40-acre lake in Sacramento County, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife: A CDFW-stocked urban or park lake — Rainbow Trout planted through the cool months and Channel Catfish in summer, with resident Largemouth Bass and Bluegill; many are in the regional-park systems around Los Angeles, the Bay Area and Sacramento.
In Sacramento County, California, River Lake is a 30-acre lake, 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.
Sundance Lake (22 acres) sits in Sacramento 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.
Sacramento County, California — Folsom Dam Auxiliary Spillway is a 16-acre lake, 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.
Feather River (118 km) flows through Sutter, Butte, Yuba and 2 more counties in California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. A Central Valley salmon and Steelhead river (the Sacramento, American, Feather, Yuba, Mokelumne, Stanislaus, Tuolumne) — fall-run King (Chinook) salmon, hatchery and wild Steelhead, American Shad in spring, Striped Bass running through, and resident Rainbow Trout on the tailwater reaches; salmon seasons are set annually and have closed entirely in recent years.
American River (50 km) flows through Sacramento and Placer Counties, California, managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. A Central Valley salmon and Steelhead river (the Sacramento, American, Feather, Yuba, Mokelumne, Stanislaus, Tuolumne) — fall-run King (Chinook) salmon, hatchery and wild Steelhead, American Shad in spring, Striped Bass running through, and resident Rainbow Trout on the tailwater reaches; salmon seasons are set annually and have closed entirely in recent years.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and its lowland lakes — Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, Channel Catfish, Bluegill and White Sturgeon in a maze of sloughs and channels; a Bay-Delta Sport Fishing Enhancement Stamp is required to fish here.
Amador, Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties, California — Dry Creek is a 99 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.
Laguna Creek (46 km) flows through Sacramento 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.
Folsom South Canal (43 km) flows through Sacramento 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.
Steelhead Creek runs 24 km through Sacramento and Sutter Counties, 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 El Dorado and Sacramento Counties, California, Carson Creek is a 23 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.
One of the few rivers in the western Sierra Nevada without major dams, the Cosumnes still supports Chinook salmon and steelhead, though runs rarely reach above Rancho Murieta due to water diversions, and populations have been further harmed by invasive fish and illegal-mining pollution.
North Mokelumne River (23 km) flows through Sacramento 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.
Across its mapped waters, Sacramento County holds 22 species on PiscaMaps, including Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Blue Catfish and White Crappie.
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.