Lake Tahoe Fishing
Placer County and El Dorado County, CDFW North Central Region, 123,137 acres.
- 16launches
- 123,137acres
- 6,231 ftelevation
Photo: Artur Westergren ampedimagery, CC0 1.0
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About fishing Lake Tahoe
CDFW files Lake Tahoe, a lake in Placer County and El Dorado County, under its North Central Region. Surface area on the CDFW entry: 123,137 acres. CDFW lists an elevation near 6,231 feet. Plan supplies in South Lake Tahoe, the closest town at about 12 miles.
Anglers can expect hatchery trout and kokanee and inland salmon, per CDFW. 16 mapped launches serve the lake, 15 of them named. The most recent stocking year on file is 2019. The entry mentions fuel and wheelchair access.
Lake Tahoe in the Fishing Guide
“A clear mountain lake with heavy seasonal use.”
“Year-round angling with special closures on tributaries, see Sport Fish Regulations.”
“Lake, rainbow and brown trout.”
“Marina, store, bait & tackle, propane, resort and RV sites with hookups.”
Quoted from the CDFW Fishing Guide entry for Lake Tahoe (source). Checked October 2026.
Launches that serve Lake Tahoe
- Camp Richardson Marina2 lanes, 15 trailer spaces, restrooms, US Forest Service
- El Dorado Beach Boat Ramp2 lanes, 55 trailer spaces, restrooms, City of South Lake Tahoe
- Homewood High & Dry Marina2 lanes, restrooms
- Kings Beach Boat Launch Facility2 lanes, 20 trailer spaces, restrooms, California Department of Parks and Recreation
- Lake Forest Public Access BTAF3 lanes, 35 trailer spaces, restrooms, Tahoe City Public Utility District
- Lakeside Marina1 lane, restrooms
- Meeks Bay Resort & Marinamarina launch, restrooms
- North Tahoe Marina1 lane, restrooms
- Obexer's Boat Company2 lanes, restrooms
- Regan Beachboat launch
- Sierra Boat Company, Inc.1 lane, 15 trailer spaces, restrooms
- Sunnyside Marina Resortmarina launch, restrooms
- Tahoe City Marinamarina launch, restrooms
- Tahoe Keys Marina2 lanes, restrooms
- Tahoe Vista Recreation Area1 lane, restrooms, California Department of Parks and Recreation
- Boat launch, Lake Tahoeboat launch
Trailer ramps around Lake Tahoe
- Truckee River BTAFTruckee River, 10 miles northwest
- Fallen Leaf MarinaFallen Leaf Lake, 15 miles south
DBW lists these launch operators for Lake Tahoe: California Department of Parks and Recreation (2), City of South Lake Tahoe (1), US Forest Service (1) and Tahoe City Public Utility District (1).
DBW Boating Facilities, USFS recreation sites and OpenStreetMap slipways, checked October 2026.
Level report for Lake Tahoe
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Tahoe A Tahoe City Ca | 6.83 ft gage height | Oct 10 8:00 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 10, 2026 8:43 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
What swims in Lake Tahoe
CDFW Fishing Guide species flags; CDFW publishes no fuller species list for most waters.
Bag rules for Lake Tahoe
On Lake Tahoe, the following special rules override the defaults.
- Sat. preceding Memorial Day through Sep. 30. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used 0 trout7.50(b)(152)(B)
- Waters with restricted fishing hours for all species:3.00(b)(1)
- Tahoe Lake (Placer and El Dorado cos.): Fishing is prohibited from two hours after sunset to one hour before sunrise.3.00(b)(1)(D)
- In Donner, Fallen Leaf and Tahoe lakes Lahontan redside, tui chub, Tahoe sucker, Lahontan speckled dace, mountain sucker and Paiute sculpin may be used only in the same lake where taken.4.30(a)
| Species | Daily bag | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black bass | 5 a day | 12 in minimum | All year |
| Trout | 5 a day | none | All year |
| Striped bass | 2 a day | 18 in minimum | All year except closures in special regulations |
| Sunfish and crappie | 25 a day | none | All year, except closures under district or special regulations |
| Catfish | no limit | none | All year, except closures under special regulations |
| Kokanee and inland salmon | 5 a day | none | All year |
For district rules, Lake Tahoe falls in the Sierra or Valley District.
CDFW 2026 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026. All California limits.
Lake Tahoe next to nearby water
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation (ft) | Launches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Tahoe | 123,137 | 6,231 | 16 | |
| Shadow Lake, El Dorado County, 7,663 ft | 9 miles southwest | 5.7 | 7,663 | 0 |
| Lake Genevieve | 9 miles southwest | 8.9 | 7,422 | 0 |
| Lost Lake, El Dorado County, 7,705 ft | 9 miles southwest | 10.5 | 7,705 | 0 |
| Crag Lake | 9 miles southwest | 20.6 | 7,471 | 0 |
| Miller Lake | 9 miles southwest | 27.2 | 7,121 | 0 |
Beyond Lake Tahoe
Other lakes around Lake Tahoe
- Shadow Lake, El Dorado County, 7,663 ft9 miles southwest
- Lake Genevieve9 miles southwest
- Lost Lake, El Dorado County, 7,705 ft9 miles southwest
- Crag Lake9 miles southwest
- Miller Lake9 miles southwest
Tackle stores around Lake Tahoe
- Pyramid Lake Fishing Trips and Lake Tahoe Fishing Tripsbait and tackle shop, Carnelian Bay, 10 miles
- Tahoe Sportfishing 1sportfishing landing, South Lake Tahoe, 11 miles
- Tahoe Keys Marinamarina, South Lake Tahoe, 11 miles
- Tahoe Trout Farmbait and tackle shop, South Lake Tahoe, 12 miles
- Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfittersfly shop, South Lake Tahoe, 12 miles
- Tahoe Sports Ltdsporting goods store, South Lake Tahoe, 12 miles
Where to buy a license near Lake Tahoe
- Swigards True Value Hdwelicense agent, 7 miles
- North Shore Ace Hardwarelicense agent, 10 miles
- Tahoe Road Runnerlicense agent, 16 miles
Who guides Lake Tahoe
- Tahoe Sports Fishingfreshwater / river guide, South Lake Tahoe, (530) 541-5448
Overnight options near Lake Tahoe
- Sunnyside-Tahoe City8 miles
- Tahoe Vista11 miles
- South Lake Tahoe11 miles
Lake Tahoe on the county pages
- Placer Countyseat: Auburn
- El Dorado Countyseat: Placerville
Lake Tahoe, answered
What part of the state holds Lake Tahoe?
The county line puts it in Placer County and El Dorado County, about 12 miles from South Lake Tahoe.
What acreage does CDFW give for Lake Tahoe?
About 123,137 acres, per CDFW.
Where do boats go in at Lake Tahoe?
16 launches, among them El Dorado Beach Boat Ramp.
What fish live in Lake Tahoe?
The entry lists hatchery trout and kokanee and inland salmon.
Do hatchery trucks visit Lake Tahoe?
No hatchery plants are scheduled.
Are there special rules on Lake Tahoe?
Sat. preceding Memorial Day through Sep. 30. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used 0 trout; Waters with restricted fishing hours for all species:; Tahoe Lake (Placer and El Dorado cos.): Fishing is prohibited from two hours .
What does a license cost for Lake Tahoe?
From age 16 a license, at $64.54 for residents.
How full is Lake Tahoe?
USGS reports it; the figure is above.
Where do I get supplies for Lake Tahoe?
Pyramid Lake Fishing Trips and Lake Tahoe Fishing Trips sits about 10 miles away.
Fish Lake Tahoe next
Buy the license online before the drive.