Blue Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Blue Lake lies in Mono County, California. The surface lies 9,898 feet up. Surface area runs to about 10 acres — small enough to read in one session. Start from Yosemite Valley, 27 miles down the road. The big place round here is Clovis, 88 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water. The approach is plain, and a car park is not always part of it.

• Where to Fish on Blue Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Mono County, recorded fish include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Take Blue Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 52°F in August and bottom out at 21°F in February. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually goes in early June, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between early June and mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Blue Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Big Valley Lake, 0.4 miles out. None of that is settled for Blue Lake in what we hold.