Cathedral Lake Fishing Guide, El Dorado County, California

• Overview

  Cathedral Lake is set in El Dorado County, California. It lies 7,661 feet above sea level. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. Most waters listed here for El Dorado County are larger. Some 5.9 miles away sits South Lake Tahoe, the nearest settlement. For a city, Reno is 46 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Cathedral Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for El Dorado County names rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and brook trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Cathedral Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 60°F on average, January about 28°F. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cathedral Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Mapping shows a jetty some half a mile off. You can camp about 0.9 miles away, going by the mapping. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Floating Island Lake, 0.6 miles away. Check the position at Cathedral Lake before loading the car.