Cardinal Lake Fishing near Big Pine, California

• Overview

  You will find Cardinal Lake in Inyo County, California. The surroundings are mixed forest. It runs to roughly 39 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The bank runs about 1.1 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Size puts it in the front rank of our Inyo County list. The closest town, Big Pine, is 14 miles away. Visalia sits 66 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Cardinal Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Inyo County, recorded fish include california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Cardinal Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 19°F and August at about 51°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid June. Break-up sits around mid June on average, with the water closing again about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish Cardinal Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Red Lake, 2 miles out. Rules at Cardinal Lake are worth checking on the day.