Anna Lake in Mono County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  California holds Anna Lake, in Mono County. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. It runs to roughly 35 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It ranks high for size among our Mono County listings. Yosemite Valley sits 33 miles from the bank. Topaz Ranch Estates is 36 miles away, with Smith Valley at 40 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Anna Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Mono County names brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Anna Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 54°F, the coldest about 22°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late May. The open-water window runs from around late May to about late November in an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Anna Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Beartrap Lake, 2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Anna Lake for certain.