Chango Lake Fishing in Mono County, California

• Overview

  Chango Lake sits in Mono County, out in California. It sits at 9,439 feet above sea level. About 2 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Most waters listed here for Mono County are larger. For supplies, Topaz Ranch Estates is 25 miles out. For a city, Reno is 81 miles off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Chango Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Mono County list brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Chango Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 53°F and February about 22°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early June. Averages suggest open water from about early June through to roughly late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Chango Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Wolf Creek Lake sits 2.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Chango Lake carry more weight than any list.