Beardsley Lake Fishing in Tuolumne County, California

• Overview

  Tuolumne County in California is where Beardsley Lake sits. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and hardwood. This is sizeable water at about 704 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. With 4.9 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Few waters listed in Tuolumne County are bigger. Some 15 miles away sits Twain Harte, the nearest settlement. Modesto is the closest city, 65 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Beardsley Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Across Tuolumne County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout and Sacramento sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Beardsley Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 67°F, while December sits near 36°F. Summer heat is the limit here, not winter cold. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Beardsley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. There are picnic tables recorded roughly half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Pinecrest Lake is 4.5 miles distant. For Beardsley Lake in particular, ask before you travel.