Chalfant Lakes in Inyo County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Inyo County entry here is Chalfant Lakes, in California. The bank gives way to lake country bush. At 9 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It sits higher than most water we list in California. The closest town, West Bishop, is 17 miles distant. Then Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek, 19 miles, and Bishop, 20 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Chalfant Lakes

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Inyo County include california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Read Chalfant Lakes before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 48°F in August and bottoms out near 18°F in February. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late June. Averages suggest open water from about late June through to roughly early November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Anyone fishing Chalfant Lakes regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Honeymoon Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Chalfant Lakes is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.