Fishing at Big Bear Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Big Bear Lake sits in Inyo County, out in California. The surface lies 11,388 feet up. Surface area runs to about 13 acres — small enough to read in one session. It sits higher than most water we list in California. West Bishop lies 19 miles from the water. The big place round here is Clovis, 61 miles distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Big Bear Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Inyo County include california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Big Bear Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 50°F in August and bottoms out near 19°F in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count the season from break-up, usually mid June. Ice usually gives way near mid June, and forms again about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. On Big Bear Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Ursa Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Big Bear Lake.