Ardeth Lake in Tuolumne County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Ardeth Lake sits in Tuolumne County, out in California. Country round the bank runs to rolling hill. The water covers some 26 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Yosemite Valley lies 22 miles from the water. After that come Twain Harte at 29 miles and Tuolumne City at 31 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Ardeth Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Tuolumne County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout and Sacramento sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. On Ardeth Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 60°F and January about 28°F. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. That shapes the year on Ardeth Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Miwok Lake, 0.6 miles away. For Ardeth Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.