Cottonwood Lake Number Four Fishing Guide, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  You will find Cottonwood Lake Number Four in Inyo County, California. The land about it is rolling bush. It runs to roughly 28 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Compared with other California water on our list, it sits high. The nearest place of any size is Lone Pine, 12 miles away. Beyond it, Three Rivers at 38 miles and Big Pine at 46 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Cottonwood Lake Number Four

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Inyo County: california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Cottonwood Lake Number Four a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 53°F and January about 21°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. After early June the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near early June, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cottonwood Lake Number Four.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Cottonwood Lake Number Five sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. For Cottonwood Lake Number Four in particular, ask before you travel.