Last stocked
May 31, 2026
Plants on record
1
Species recorded
1
Elevation
7,862.2 ft
Common questions
- What fish are at Red Lake?
- Fishing Red Lake is most likely to be for Mixed Trout. The one plant on record is Mixed Trout. Mixed Trout was last stocked May 31, 2026. Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (CDFW made Red Lake a Lahontan cutthroat-only fishery in 2011 and uses it as emergency brood stock, stocked from Heenan Lake. LCT was 99.5% of the catch in CDFW's 2013 creel survey), Mountain Sucker (A CDFW scientific aide reported seeing spawning mountain suckers around the Red Lake dam during the 2013 survey), and Tui Chub (CDFW's own 2013 Red Lake survey report lists tui chub as a resident species alongside the lake's LCT fishery) are recorded here outside the stocking reports.
- When is Red Lake stocked?
- Last stocked May 31, 2026. It is stocked once in 2026, most often in May.
- How do you get on Red Lake?
- Shore fishing is available and there is no boat ramp. The nearest town is Markleeville. An 85-acre Alpine County water-storage reservoir directly off Highway 88, about one mile east of Carson Pass. Motors are not allowed on the lake; anglers fish from shore, and the CDFW Wildlife Area has parking on both the north (Highway 88) and east (Red Vista Road) sides.
- Which lakes near Red Lake were stocked more recently?
- Caples Lake (3.8 mi), Blue Lake Upper (4.8 mi), Kirkwood Lake (5.9 mi), Blue Lake Lower (6.3 mi), and Silver Lake (8.3 mi) were stocked more recently. Caples Lake is also stocked with Mixed Trout, Blue Lake Upper is also stocked with Mixed Trout, Kirkwood Lake is also stocked with Mixed Trout, Blue Lake Lower is also stocked with Mixed Trout, and Silver Lake is also stocked with Mixed Trout.
Access and facts
- Water type
- reservoir
- Nearest town
- Markleeville
- Shore access
- Yes
- Boat ramp
- No
An 85-acre Alpine County water-storage reservoir directly off Highway 88, about one mile east of Carson Pass. Motors are not allowed on the lake; anglers fish from shore, and the CDFW Wildlife Area has parking on both the north (Highway 88) and east (Red Vista Road) sides.
Sources: nrm.dfg.ca.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , wildlife.ca.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , guidetohighway395.com, accessed September 23, 2026
How Red Lake is stocked
Caples Lake (3.8 mi), Blue Lake Upper (4.8 mi), Kirkwood Lake (5.9 mi), Blue Lake Lower (6.3 mi), and Silver Lake (8.3 mi) were stocked more recently. Caples Lake is also stocked with Mixed Trout, Blue Lake Upper is also stocked with Mixed Trout, Kirkwood Lake is also stocked with Mixed Trout, Blue Lake Lower is also stocked with Mixed Trout, and Silver Lake is also stocked with Mixed Trout.
Fish at Red Lake
Fishing Red Lake is most likely to be for Mixed Trout. The one plant on record is Mixed Trout.
Mixed Trout 1 plant
- Plants
- 1 of 1
- Last stocked
- May 31, 2026
Stocking history
| Date | Species | Quantity | Avg. length | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2026 | Mixed Trout | – | – | report |
Species found here
Confirmed present independent of the stocking records above, not from a stocking event.
- Lahontan Cutthroat Trout : CDFW made Red Lake a Lahontan cutthroat-only fishery in 2011 and uses it as emergency brood stock, stocked from Heenan Lake. LCT was 99.5% of the catch in CDFW's 2013 creel survey. (nrm.dfg.ca.gov, accessed September 23, 2026)
- Mountain Sucker : A CDFW scientific aide reported seeing spawning mountain suckers around the Red Lake dam during the 2013 survey. (nrm.dfg.ca.gov, accessed September 23, 2026)
- Tui Chub : CDFW's own 2013 Red Lake survey report lists tui chub as a resident species alongside the lake's LCT fishery. (nrm.dfg.ca.gov, accessed September 23, 2026)
Species stocked here
Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.