Fishing at Big Five Lakes, Tulare County, California

• Overview

  Set in Tulare County, California, this is Big Five Lakes. Around the bank it is mixed forest. It measures about 42 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 1.2 miles keeps the choices simple. It ranks high for size among our Tulare County listings. Head to Three Rivers, 21 miles away, for anything you forgot. Visalia is the closest city, 44 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Big Five Lakes

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Tulare County list rainbow trout, brook trout and california golden trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Big Five Lakes the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 20°F and August at about 53°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early June. The lid tends to go about early June and return around late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It sets the rhythm of the year at Big Five Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Cyclamen Lake, 1.7 miles out. Confirm before you fish Big Five Lakes.