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California · Fishing
Canby sits in the high desert of Modoc County, and the fishing around it leans heavily toward still water. The eight spots listed here are all lakes, reservoirs, and stock tanks — no river runs or stream wading in this particular set.
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View on mapFishing · 8 spots
Canby sits in the high desert of Modoc County, and the fishing around it leans heavily toward still water. The eight spots listed here are all lakes, reservoirs, and stock tanks — no river runs or stream wading in this particular set. Double Head Lake and Pinnacle Lake are the natural lake options, while Beeler Reservoir, Spaulding Reservoir, Duncan Reservoir, and the two Duncan boating sites (North and South) give you a range of reservoir fishing with varying levels of boat access. Six-Shooter Stock Tank rounds things out as a smaller, more utilitarian water body that can surprise you when conditions are right. Elevations in this part of Modoc County generally run between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, so summer mornings are cool and afternoons can push wind across open water fast. Most of these spots see far less pressure than anything in the Central Valley or along the coast, which matters if you want a quiet day on the water. That said, services are minimal out here — Canby is a small town, and you should plan to arrive with everything you need.
The activity listings here cover lake and reservoir fishing but don't specify stocked species or wild-trout designations for individual waters. Your best source before the trip is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife stocking report, which will tell you whether any of these waters received recent plants and what was put in. Modoc County reservoirs have historically held trout, bass, and warmwater species depending on the water body.
Duncan Reservoir has both a North Boating Site and a South Boating Site listed, which suggests boat access is a real part of how people fish it. Shore fishing is typically possible at most Modoc County reservoirs, but a small boat, kayak, or float tube will open up a lot more water and let you work the edges and structure that shore anglers can't reach.
Duncan Reservoir
~10 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Pit River Campground
~1h 22m drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Duncan North Boating Site
~10 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Six-Shooter Stock Tank
~10 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Duncan South Boating Site
~11 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Beeler Reservoir
~11 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Spaulding Reservoir
~12 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Pinnacle Lake
~22 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Double Head Lake
~23 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Big Sage Reservoir
~33 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Logan Slough Boating Site
~33 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Donovan Reservoir
~36 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Early morning is the most consistent window. At elevations around 4,000 to 5,000 feet, surface temperatures stay cooler longer into the morning than at lower-elevation lakes, and fish tend to be active near the surface before the sun gets high. Afternoon wind is a real factor on open reservoirs like Spaulding and Duncan, so if you're in a small watercraft, plan to be off the water or near shore by early afternoon.
Stock tanks are small and often overlooked, which is exactly why they can fish well when they hold water. They're worth a stop if you're already in the area and the larger reservoirs aren't producing, but I wouldn't build a trip around Six-Shooter Stock Tank alone. Water levels in stock tanks can fluctuate significantly depending on the season and recent precipitation, so check conditions locally before making it your primary destination.
Canby is a small, remote town in Modoc County with limited resupply options, so treat this like a self-supported trip. Bring more fuel than you think you need, a full cooler, and all your terminal tackle since there's no guarantee a sporting goods store will have what you want nearby. Sun protection matters more than people expect at high-desert elevations, and a wind layer is worth packing even in summer given how fast afternoon conditions can change on open water.
