Cottonwood Lake Number Two Fishing near Lone Pine, California

• Overview

  Inyo County, California, is where Cottonwood Lake Number Two sits. The country here is mixed forest. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Compared with other California water on our list, it sits high. Lone Pine lies 12 miles from the water. It is 61 miles to Visalia, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Cottonwood Lake Number Two

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Inyo County cover california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Take Cottonwood Lake Number Two a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 53°F and January near 21°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice-out usually falls in early June, and the weeks after it fish hardest. In an average year the thaw lands around early June and the freeze near late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. At Cottonwood Lake Number Two the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Cottonwood Lake Number One at 0.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Cottonwood Lake Number Two as something to verify.