Trinity Lake Fishing
Trinity County, CDFW Northern Region, 16,400 acres.
- 11launches
- 16,400acres
- 2,300 ftelevation
Photo: Newjork, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Taking a closer look at Trinity Lake
In Trinity County, Trinity Lake is a lake managed from the CDFW Northern Region. The Fishing Guide gives its surface as 16,400 acres. It lies around 2,300 feet in elevation. Shasta Lake is the nearest incorporated town, about 23 miles away. CDEC rates capacity at 2,447,650 acre-feet, held by Trinity Dam on Trinity River.
Its CDFW species flags are black bass, catfish, adult salmon and kokanee and inland salmon. Boaters have 11 mapped launches, 11 of them named. Between 2025-10-05 and 2026-07-26, fish went in on 6 weeks. Amenities on file: fuel.
Access to Trinity Lake by boat
- Minersville Public Boat Rampboat launch
- Trinity Alps Marina – Fairview Boat Rampmarina launch, restrooms
- Trinity Alps Resort1 lane, 300 trailer spaces, restrooms
- Trinity Center Marina1 lane, 50 trailer spaces, restrooms
- Trinity Lake NRA (Bowerman Boat Launch Facility)boat launch, USDA Forest Service
- Trinity Lake NRA (Clark Springs Boat Launch Facility)3 lanes, 60 trailer spaces, restrooms
- Trinity Lake NRA (Fairview Boat Launch Facility)boat launch, USDA Forest Service
- Trinity Lake NRA (Minersville Campground)boat launch, restrooms, US Forest Service
- Trinity Lake NRA (Stuart's Fork Boat Launch Facility)boat launch, USDA Forest Service
- Trinity Lake NRA (Trinity Center Boat Launch Facility)boat launch, US Forest Service
- Trinity Lake Resort & Marina1 lane, 60 trailer spaces, restrooms
Ramps a short drive from Trinity Lake
- Pine Cove Public Boat Ramp, Trinityboat launch, fee, 12 miles southwest
- Trinity Lake NRA (Pine Cove Boat Launch Facility)Lewiston Lake, 13 miles southwest
The launches on Trinity Lake are run by USDA Forest Service (3), US Forest Service (2) and Shasta-Trinity National Forest (1).
DBW Boating Facilities, USFS recreation sites and OpenStreetMap slipways, checked October 2026.
Trinity Lake reservoir level
CDEC station CLE (US Bureau of Reclamation), reading dated 2026-10-09. Station page with the live chart.
Catch options on Trinity Lake
CDFW Fishing Guide species flags; CDFW publishes no fuller species list for most waters.
Stocking schedule for Trinity Lake
| Species | Size | Program | Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | Catchable | Put and Take | March-May & September-November |
| Rainbow Trout | Sub-catchable | Put and Grow | March-May & September-October |
CDFW Fish Planting Schedule and the 2026 Provisional Stocking Document. California trout stocking.
Bag limits around Trinity Lake
The table below is the full rule set for Trinity Lake.
| 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 |
District regulations for Trinity Lake: the North Coast District.
CDFW 2026 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026. All California limits.
Trinity Lake against nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation (ft) | Launches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Lake | 16,400 | 2,300 | 11 | |
| Carrville Pond | 9 miles north | 6.2 | 2,371 | 0 |
| Granite Lake, Trinity County, 5,937 ft | 9 miles west | 25 | 5,937 | 0 |
| Lilypad Lake | 10 miles northwest | 2.1 | 6,295 | 0 |
| Lake Anna | 10 miles west | 3.9 | 7,404 | 0 |
| Little Boulder Lake | 10 miles northwest | 5.1 | 6,318 | 0 |
More near Trinity Lake
CDFW lakes within a drive of Trinity Lake
- Carrville Pond9 miles north
- Granite Lake, Trinity County, 5,937 ft9 miles west
- Lilypad Lake10 miles northwest
- Lake Anna10 miles west
- Little Boulder Lake10 miles northwest
Bait counters close to Trinity Lake
- Holiday Harbormarina, Lakehead, 21 miles
- Fishen Holebait and tackle shop, Shasta Lake, 23 miles
License sellers around Trinity Lake
- Lakeshore Villa Marketlicense agent, 16 miles
- Lakehead Gas & Foodlicense agent, 16 miles
- Smokehouse Marketlicense agent, 17 miles
Where to stay near Trinity Lake
- Trinity Center4 miles
- Lakehead15 miles
- Lewiston17 miles
County guides covering Trinity Lake
- Trinity Countyseat: Weaverville
Short answers on Trinity Lake
How far is Trinity Lake from town?
Trinity County, about 23 miles from Shasta Lake.
How big a water is Trinity Lake?
16,400 acres of surface.
What launch serves Trinity Lake?
11 launches on record, including Trinity Alps Resort.
Which species does CDFW list for Trinity Lake?
CDFW notes black bass, catfish, adult salmon and kokanee and inland salmon.
What does CDFW plant in Trinity Lake?
Plants came on 6 weeks, most recently 2026-07-26.
Does Trinity Lake have its own regulations?
Nothing special is listed.
What license do anglers at Trinity Lake buy?
From 16 up, a license; residents pay $64.54 a year.
Is Trinity Lake drawn down right now?
The station reading from CDEC is shown above.
Where is the nearest tackle to Trinity Lake?
Try Holiday Harbor, roughly 21 miles off.
Set aside a day for Trinity Lake
Check limits and fees before you load up.