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California · Fishing
Foresthill sits at the edge of the Tahoe National Forest and gives anglers surprisingly varied access for a small Sierra foothill town.
12 spotsUpdated dailyFree to access
View on mapFishing · 12 spots
Foresthill sits at the edge of the Tahoe National Forest and gives anglers surprisingly varied access for a small Sierra foothill town. The listings here lean heavily toward lake fishing, with spots like French Meadows, Hell Hole Campground, Bear Lake, and Middle Meadows covering a range of elevations and effort levels. French Meadows Reservoir and Hell Hole Reservoir are the two biggest draws in the area, both fed by the North Fork American River drainage and holding rainbow trout, brown trout, and kokanee salmon depending on the season. Shirttail Creek and Forbes Creek round out the stillwater options with a quieter, less-pressured feel. If you want moving water, Foresthill Divide Road provides access to river fishing along that corridor. Most of the lake sites are reachable by passenger car in summer, though Hell Hole and some of the upper spots involve a stretch of unpaved forest road that gets rough after winter. The season generally runs from late spring through fall, with higher-elevation reservoirs sometimes holding ice into May. Crowds are lightest on weekdays and pick up noticeably on summer holiday weekends, so if you have flexibility, mid-week visits to spots like Giant Gap or the Gates Group area will feel like a different trip entirely.
Rainbow trout are the most consistent catch across the lake fishing sites listed here, including French Meadows and Hell Hole. Brown trout and kokanee salmon are also present in the larger reservoirs. Check current CDFW stocking reports before your trip, since planted fish timing varies by water body and year.
Shore fishing is viable at most of these locations. Sugar Pine Boat Ramp gives you the option to launch a boat at one of the larger reservoirs, but spots like Bear Lake, Middle Meadows, and the creek-fed lake sites are accessible on foot. A boat opens up more of French Meadows and Hell Hole, where the productive water is often away from the banks.
Middle Meadows
~11 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Tunnel Mills Ii
~19 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Sunset-Union Valley
~32 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Kaspian Campground
~36 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
French Meadows
~12 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
North Fork
~21 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Little Lasier Meadows Campground
~44 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Lake Tahoe - West Shore
~34 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Lewis
~12 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Euchre Bar Trailhead
~22 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Coyote Group
~13 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Black Oak
~25 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CA.
Early morning, roughly the first two hours after sunrise, is consistently the most productive window at the lake sites. Evening before dark is a close second, especially for brown trout. Midday fishing in summer slows down as temperatures rise and fish move deeper.
A light to medium spinning setup handles most situations here. Power Bait and small spinners work well for planted rainbows, while larger lures and live bait rigs are worth having if you are targeting browns in the bigger reservoirs. Bring a California fishing license, a valid second-rod stamp if you plan to use two rods, and check whether the specific water body has any gear restrictions before you go.
Both are accessed via Foresthill Road heading east out of town, then onto forest roads toward the North Fork American River drainage. The drive to French Meadows is roughly 35 to 40 miles from Foresthill and involves unpaved sections that are generally passable by standard vehicles in summer but can be rough or closed in early season. Hell Hole is a shorter drive but the road condition varies, so checking with Tahoe National Forest ahead of time is worth the five-minute phone call.
