There are 200 major lakes and reservoirs in California and hundreds of other smaller lakes.  
We have divided the state into three sections: North, Central, and South to better organize the content.  In these areas we have chosen to focus on some of the more popular or interesting lakes in each area.

Northern California:
Bullards Bar Reservoir - A great lake for boat-in camping this large lake of 4,700 acres has 56 miles of shoreline set at a elevation of 1,902 feet.  The lake is located about 25 miles north of Nevada City on Highway 49 and near the town of Camptonville.
Clear Lake - Often called "Bass Capital of the West" this lake is huge at 43,000 acres, a shoreline of 100 miles and at 1,326 feet elevation. Located Lake County this lake offers just about every possible water related recreational activity.
Donner Lake - A beautiful lake just west of Truckee, off Interstate 80.  The lake is oblong shaped, 3 miles long and 3/4 of mile wide, at an elevation of 5,963 feet in the Tahoe National Forest.
Lake Almanor - One of the largest man-made lakes in California this lake is 13 miles long and 6 miles wide with a surface area of 28,000 acres , and sits at an elevation of 4,500, in the Lassen National Forest.  The lake is located 28 miles west of Susanville on Highway 36.
Lake Oroville - A huge man-made reservoir with extensive lake arms, it covers 15,000 acres and has 165 miles of shoreline at an elevation of 900 feet.  Located off Highway 70 near the town of Oroville it features the Oroville Dam the highest dam in the U.S., which towers 770 feet above Oroville.
Lakes Basin Recreational Area - More than 50 small glacial lakes and numerous trout filled streams make this a great camping and fishing area. Located along Gold Lake Road north of the town of Bassetts on Highway 49.
Shasta Lake - Another of California's prime recreational lakes, it features 30,000 surface acres of water and 370 miles of shoreline, at the 1,067 foot elevation. It is California's largest reservoir and is located off Interstate 5 just north of Redding. 
Lake Sonoma
Trinity Lake - Regarded as on of California's finest recreational lakes.  It is on the eastern side of the Trinity Alps and is part of the Whiskeytown -Shasta-Trinity National Recreational Area.  It is at the 2,300 foot elevation with 17,000 surface acres of water and 145 miles of shoreline.

Central California:
Convict Lake - Is small, but one of the prettiest lakes in California.  Located 7 miles south of Mammoth Lakes, the lake is 1 mile long and 1/2 mile wide at an elevation  of 7,583 feet, with a back drop of towering peaks.
Don Pedro Reservoir - At an elevation of 800 feet, this large reservoir has a surface area of 12,960 acres and 160 miles of oak and pine dotted shoreline.  Located about 40 miles east of Modesto off Highway 132 it has an abundance of camping and water sport activities.
Hell Hole Lake - This beautiful and remote 1,300 acre lake, sits at the bottom of a deep gorge in the Eldorado National Forrest at an elevation of 4,00 feet.  Located about 70 miles east of Auburn CA (on Interstate 80).
June Lake - The June Lake Loop is really a series of four linked lakes, located 11 miles north of Mammoth Lakes off Highway 395 on Highway 158.  This is a very popular boating, fishing hiking, skiing resort area.
Lake Nacimiento - A large lake with 167 miles of shoreline and 5,370 surface acres of water at an elevation of 800 feet.  It is located in a valley of oak and pine about 16 miles north of Paso Robles.
Lake San Antonio - One of the best largemouth bass fishing lakes in the state, it has 5,500 acres of water and 60 miles of shoreline, at an elevation of 900 feet.  Located NW of Paso Robles and near Lake Nacimiento in Monterey County.
Lake Tahoe - Has to be one of the most spectacularly beautiful lakes in the United States.  The lake is 22 miles long, 12 miles wide, with 72 miles of shoreline, is 1,645 feet deep, and is at an elevation of 6,229.  Located west of Carson City NV and SW of Reno NV the lake features just about every possible recreational sport.
San Pablo Reservoir - One of the top rated fishing lakes in California, this 860 acre lake sits at an elevation of 314 feet and is located north of Oakland off Interstate 80.

Southern California:
Big Bear Lake - Another lake with just about every possible outdoor activity.   Perhaps Southern California's most popular resort area, it has 3,000 acres of water, is 7 miles long, and 1/2 to 1 mile wide, at an elevation of 6,743.  Located in the San Bernardino Mountains, northeast of San Bernardino.
Castaic Lake
Lake Arrowhead - A Beautiful lake, with several other nearby lakes , in the San Bernardino National Forest, 2 hours east of Los Angeles.
Lake Cachuma
Lake Elsinore
Lake Havasu
Lake Perris
Lake Piru
Pyramid Lake
Salton Sea - On a hot summer day, this has to be one of the smelliest lakes in the U.S.  This extremely large lake,  35 miles long  with 360 square miles of water, is 228 feet below sea level,  and averages just 10 feet in depth.  Located south and east of Palm Springs, it is set between the Chocolate Mountains and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
San Diego City Lakes - These very popular lakes in San Diego, are considered by many, to provide some of the best bass fishing in the US. In addition, many other fish species are also found in these lakes.
Silverwood Lake
California Lake Management Society - 6411 Redwood Road,  Oakland, CA  94619 ..."to promote understanding, protection and comprehensive
management of California's water resources and their watersheds".
Lake Web Sites:

Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park

Angel Island State Park

Auburn State Recreation Area

Bass Lake: Map

Bethany Reservoir State Recreation Area

Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park

China Camp State Park

Clear Lake: Map

Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area

Don Pedro Lake: Map

Eagle Lake: Map

Englebright Reservoir: Map

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

Folsom Lake: Map

Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area

Hendy Woods State Park

Humboldt Lagoons State Park

Lake Almanor: Map

Lake Amador: Map

Lake Berryessa: Map

Lake Camanche: Map

Lake Collins: Map

Lake McClure: Map

Lake McSwain: Map

Lake Mendocino: Map

Lake Nacimiento: Map

Lake Oroville State Recreation Area

Lake Perris State Recreation Area

Lake Shasta: Map

Little River State Beach

Millerton Lake State Recreation Area

Millerton Lake: Map

Miner Ridge Loop: Outside Stonyford by Letts Lake

National Forests Ranger Stations

New Bullards Bar Resovoir: Map

New Hogan Lake: Map

New Melones Reservoir: Map

Trinity Lake: Map

Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area

William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach

Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area