California is home to some awesome largemouth bass fishing lakes. On many of the lakes in California, they are stocked with trout. Huge largemouth bass feed on the smaller trout, which helps them grow to some very big sizes. Anglers catch largemouth bass well over 10 pounds on many different lakes throughout the state of California.
Learn more about California’s featured largemouth bass fishing destinations.
| Big Bear Lake | Lake Almanor |
| California Delta | Lake Havasu |
| Clear Lake | Lake Tahoe |
| Colorado River | |
| Diamond Valley Lake | |
Learn More About California’s Featured Fishing Destinations
Saltwater Destinations
Rivers & Lakes
| Big Bear Lake | Klamath River |
| California Delta | Lake Almanor |
| Clear Lake | Lake Havasu |
| Colorado River | Lake Tahoe |
| Diamond Valley Lake | |
Featured Towns & Regions
| Mammoth Lakes | Redding, CA |
| Napa Valley | Yosemite National Park |
Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a popular lake located in Southern California’s San Bernardino National Forest. This mountain lake is popular for skiing and snow boarding in the winter. In the summer, people enjoy fishing and boating on the lake. The lake offers good fishing for a variety of fish such as rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, bluegill and other sunfish.
Bodega Bay, CA
Bodega Bay is a small, rocky inlet of the Pacific Ocean in Sonoma County, California. This part of California draws visitors to its pristine beaches, abundant wildlife and excellent saltwater fishing. This area is known for its halibut, salmon, tuna, rockfish and lingcod. Steelhead are popular during their spawning run in Salmon Creek Beach. Throughout Sonoma County, anglers can also fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout and more.
California Delta
The California Delta is home to miles and miles of excellent fishing waters. The tidal waters are popular for largemouth bass, however, you can catch so many other species of fish in these waters. Anglers also may catch smallmouth bass, striped bass, salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, catfish, crappie, bluegill and other sunfish.
Clear Lake
Clear Lake is a beautiful lake in Lake County, California. It is the largest natural, freshwater lake that is located entirely within the state of California. It is a very popular recreational lake and it is one of the better bass lakes in the state. There are many species of fish in the lake, but over the years, Clear Lake has emerged as one of the better big bass lakes in the entire country. In the lake, anglers can catch largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, bluegill and other sunfish.
Colorado River
The Colorado River is a large river that covers more than 1,400 miles from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico. In the United States, the river flows through Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. There are so many good sections of this river to fish. Whether you fish the river portions or the reservoirs, there are some awesome fishing opportunities for a variety of fish such as striped bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish and a variety of trout.
Crescent City, CA
Located only 20 miles south of Oregon, Crescent City is a small town that is home to the last lighthouse before Oregon. Battery Point Lighthouse can be seen overlooking the harbor on a tiny island that can only be reached at low tide. Crescent City is home to some excellent fishing opportunities for halibut, rockfish, lingcod, salmon and tuna.
Diamond Valley Lake
Diamond Valley Lake is one of the largest man-made reservoirs in Southern California. The lake covers more than 4,500 surface acres and has depths over 200 feet deep. This lake is known for its excellent bass fishing. Anglers also catch rainbow trout, catfish, bluegill and other sunfish.
Eureka, CA
Eureka is a port city in Northern California. It is the county seat of Humboldt County, California. It is a beautiful region with beautiful redwood trees, a rugged ocean landscape, its beautiful Victorian architecture to go along with the many shops, restaurants and excellent fishing opportunities. Anglers fish freshwater and saltwater in this area as they target a variety of species such as halibut, salmon, steelhead, striped bass, rockfish, lingcod, tuna and more.
Fort Bragg, CA
Fort Bragg is a coastal city in Northern California. Located on California’s Mendocino Coast, this town is known for Glass Beach, which is full of colorful glass stones. This town has some serious small town charm to go along with some outstanding recreational opportunities. Anglers come here to target a variety of fish in freshwater and saltwater. Fish for salmon, rockfish, lingcod, steelhead and more.
Huntington Beach, CA
Huntington Beach is located in Southern California between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is known as Surf City U.S.A., so go ahead and hit the beaches whether you want to catch a wave or just enjoy the sights while getting some sun. People enjoy the outdoors here, so plan on seeing plenty of people walking, biking, surfing, kayaking or just hanging out and enjoying the beach. The Huntington Beach Pier spans more than 1,800 feet and it draws plenty of visitors throughout the year as well. If you enjoy fishing, anglers have a variety of options whether you want to fish from the surf, the pier or out on a boat.
Klamath, CA
The Klamath River flows more than 250 miles through Oregon and northern California before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. This river is unique because it is home to large numbers of salmon and steelhead at the peak of their spawning runs. The river has huge numbers of smaller steelhead, so it isn’t known as a “big fish” river for steelhead, but you can definitely catch a lot of them when the run is at its peak. If you want to catch a bigger fish, you’re going to want to be fishing for the King salmon once they enter the river to spawn. There are good numbers of them and plenty of large fish too.
Klamath River
The Klamath River flows more than 250 miles through Oregon and northern California before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. This river is unique because it is home to large numbers of salmon and steelhead at the peak of their spawning runs. The river has huge numbers of smaller steelhead, so it isn’t known as a “big fish” river for steelhead, but you can definitely catch a lot of them when the run is at its peak. If you want to catch a bigger fish, you’re going to want to be fishing for the King salmon once they enter the river to spawn. There are good numbers of them and plenty of large fish too.
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor is a large reservoir in northeastern California. It is a beautiful lake and a popular lake for outdoor recreation. Lake Almanor is home to a variety of fish species such as King salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass and catfish. Most anglers come to this lake to target salmon and trout, but the bass fishing can be pretty good as well.
Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu is a large reservoir formed by Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between San Bernardino County, California and Mohave County, Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the Arizonan side of the lake with its Californian counterpart of Havasu Lake directly across the lake. The reservoir covers more than 30 square miles and is 45 miles long. This lake gets a lot of attention for its huge redear sunfish and its excellent bass fishing. Anglers fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, catfish, crappie and more.
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a very popular recreational lake on the border of California and Nevada. This lake is a huge lake that covers more than 120,000 surface acres. It is also very clear and deep with a maximum depth of more than 1,600 feet deep. The deep, clear waters are home to some excellent trout fishing and there are plenty of fishing charters available to take you out for lake trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and kokanee salmon.
Long Beach, CA
Long Beach is a coastal city and it serves as a port in Southern California. There is a waterfront aquarium, which features touch tanks and a shark lagoon. There are plenty of large charter boats that can accommodate a good amount of people. Whale watching is popular as well. If you want to enjoy yourself off the water, you can hit up the area shops, restaurants, breweries and more. Anglers catch a variety of fish such as rockfish, sand dab, sheepshead, sculpin, whitefish, red snapper and more.
Mammoth Lakes
Mammoth Lakes is a town in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s known for the Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain ski areas and its nearby trails. For people who enjoy the outdoors, this area is a great place to get away from the city life and recharge your batteries. Anglers enjoy fishing a variety of high alpine lakes, reservoirs and streams. Trout fishing is very popular as anglers fish for rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and the native golden trout.
Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach is a coastal city in Southern California. There are 2 fishing piers in the area, an old-school amusement park with a ferris wheel and ocean views. There are local beaches and a beautiful coastline. Home to the largest recreational harbor on the west coast, there are miles of recreational opportunities for fishing, boating, swimming and other activities. Newport Beach is one of the wealthiest cities in the country, so the accommodations do run on the high side, however, there are some more affordable places to stay in this area.
The fishing can be very good off the coastline and there are plenty of fishing charters available to put you on the fish. Anglers target a variety of fish such as halibut, barracuda, bonito, sand bass, calico bass, sea bass, tuna and more. Whale watching is also very popular off the coastline of Newport Beach, California.
Oceanside, CA
Oceanside is a coastal city in California. It is known for palm-dotted Harbor Beach and nearby Oceanside Harbor. The harbor is home to a marina and many shops. The Oceanside Pier attracts many visitors throughout the year. There is plenty of outdoor recreation whether you just enjoy hanging out at the beach while soaking up the sun or enjoying a variety of water activities. Anglers have a lot of options here as they can fish the surf, from the pier and from a boat. You may catch a variety of fish such as halibut, barracuda, bonito, sand bass, calico bass, sea bass, tuna, rockfish, sand dab, sheepshead, sculpin, whitefish, red snapper and more.
Oxnard, CA
Oxnard, California is a coastal city in Ventura County with 7 miles of beaches. The city is located about 60 miles from LAX airport, which makes this a popular coastal town to visit in California. There is plenty to do here with all the shops, restaurants, a harbor and plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities. There are many fishing charters available, so it shouldn’t be hard for you to find a boat to get on to enjoy some of the excellent fishing in the Pacific Ocean. Anglers target a variety of fish such as halibut, barracuda, bonito, sand bass, calico bass, sea bass, tuna and more.
Napa Valley, California
Napa Valley may be known more for its wine tours than its fishing, however, this part of California is not just a great destination for couples. Anglers have lots of options if they want to fish in this part of the state. Lake Berryessa is a large reservoir in the Vaca Mountains of Napa County and it is a good multi-species fishery. Anglers target salmon, trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass and other fish too. The Napa River is a popular river for striped bass and sturgeon.
Redding, CA
Redding, California is a beautiful town that is known for its excellent trout fishing. The area has spectacular scenery with the mountains and all the beautiful water in the area. Anglers have a variety of excellent rivers and streams to fish for a variety of trout. Redding is comparable to some of the best trout fishing towns that you hear about in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming.
Redondo Beach, CA
Redondo Beach is located just minutes from the LAX airport, which helps make this a very popular beach town to visit. People enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as surfing, biking, sailing, kayaking, diving, whale watching and sport fishing. If you just want to relax, then enjoy the sights plus the pier and the area shops and restaurants. Anglers target a variety of fish such as halibut, barracuda, bonito, sand bass, calico bass, sea bass, tuna and more.
San Diego, CA
San Diego, California is a coastal city that is known for its beaches, parks, warm climate and some awesome recreational opportunities. San Diego offers its visitors all the amenities you would except from a city plus all the tourist options you would expect to find in a nice beach vacation destination. There are so many things to do here with its art galleries, museums, gardens, sports teams, the San Diego Zoo, so many shops and restaurants, plus the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
San Diego is also home to a large fishing fleet, so you should be able to find a boat to put you on some fish. There area waters are home to a variety of fish such as halibut, barracuda, bonito, sand bass, calico bass, sea bass, tuna and more.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco is a good-sized city that is home to sports teams, good weather and is part of a larger metropolitan area that is home to more than 3 million people. While you can find plenty to do within the city limits and the suburbs that make up this entire metropolitan area, if you’re on our website reading this, you are probably more interested in the fishing in this area. San Francisco has been home to a large fishing charter fleet for many years and these boats will help put you on some very good saltwater fishing in the Pacific Ocean. The warm weather allows charters to fish year round for a variety of fish. Anglers catch a variety of fish such as rockfish, sand dab, sheepshead, sculpin, whitefish, red snapper, halibut and more.
Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara is a coastal city in California that is home to a variety of events, shops, restaurants and outdoor recreational opportunities. This destination is unique because you have everything you would need to have an awesome saltwater fishing vacation destination, but it is also a short drive to Cachuma Lake and Lake Casitas. Anglers have so many options to fish for a variety of freshwater and saltwater species of fish. Go catch a huge largemouth bass one day then get onto a saltwater charter boat to fish for rockfish, whitefish, halibut, lingcod and more.
Ventura, CA
Ventura is lovely coastal city in Southern California. It is less than 2 hours from LAX airport, so there are definitely coastal cities closer to the airport that offer its visitors excellent beaches. Due to this city being a little further away, you won’t have the crowds here that you would see in some of the other popular beach destinations. Plenty of people do know about the beaches of Ventura as it does attract surfers, swimmers, kayakers and beach-goers who just want to enjoy the sun, sand and beautiful sights. The city center is home to plenty of shops and restaurants. Anglers come here for the excellent saltwater fishing and you can find plenty of charters that will put you on lots of rockfish, sea bass and more.
Yosemite National Park
