Milton Reservoir

Current Report - September 16, 2005 - Friday
If you are looking for a small beautiful lake that is very quiet this is your place. You can wade fish here some but a float tube, pontoon boat or small pram is better. You need very long leaders, light tippets and small flies to catch anything here. It has been fish good for the regulars.

Lake Information

Head north on hwy 89 out of Truckee for 17 miles and turn west on Jackson Meadow road. It is 16 miles to Jackson Meadow Reservoir where there is camping available. It is 2 miles past there on a dirt road to Milton. Coming out of Jackson Meadow Reservoir, the Middle Fork of the Yuba River flows into the east end of the lake. This area is shallow and affords some wading opportunities. Most are better off in a floating devise and no motors are allowed. The dam is at the west end of the lake where it is naturally deeper. This lake was deepened in 1993 and is at 5650 feet elevation both which make it a top lake for trophy trout fishing. The lake is barbless hook and artificials only with a limit of 2 fish under 12 inches. It has a large lake mayfly, the Siphlonurus or Gray Drake, which is a nice large swimming nymph and is a large adult about a size #10-12. It also has a good callibaetis mayfly population  and the damsel fly is another prolific insect here. When these aren't hatching you can fish midges early and late if the water is smooth. This is a small beautiful extremely clear lake for those who like a challenge.

Tackle

Have a slow action 9' #4-5 line rod with a floating line and a clear slow sinking line. Use 12' or longer leaders to 6x for small dries. Use a 7.5' 4x leader for stripping wet flies under the surface. Have some fresh matching 3x through 6x tippet material.

Season

Opens the last Saturday in April through November 15th.

Some years you can't get in there on opening day because of the snow drifts.

Lake Milton Map

• Courtesy Fish Sniffer site.

Books

Fly Fishing CA Stillwaters by Bill Sunderland

Camping

Back towards Jackson Meadow Reservoir

Local Fly Shop

Truckee River Outfitters

Fishing Guides
Kiene's Lake Milton Guide recommendations.