Chimney Lake Fishing in Fresno County, California

• Overview

  Chimney Lake lies in Fresno County, in California. It lies 9,551 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 7 acres — small enough to read in one session. For a base, Yokuts Valley sits 28 miles out. The big place round here is Clovis, 47 miles distant. Nearby, in order: Marsh Lake roughly 0.3 miles, Woodchuck Lake 1.1 miles away, Crown Lake roughly 2.4 miles, Old Pipe Lake 2.7 miles away and Halfmoon Lake roughly 2.8 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Chimney Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Chimney Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 56°F and February near 25°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. On Chimney Lake the same rules apply, with local timing. A cold snap sets things back for several days.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. You can camp 100 yards off, which suits an early start. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Marsh Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Chimney Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.