Crocker Lake Fishing in Mono County, California

• Overview

  The Mono County entry here is Crocker Lake, in California. The water sits 10,899 feet up. About 9 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is high ground by California standards. Supplies mean a trip to Mammoth Lakes, 14 miles off. Clovis sits 66 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Crocker Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Mono County records list brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, owens sucker and california golden trout among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Crocker Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 50°F, while February sits near 20°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice-out usually falls in mid June, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Expect the water usable from around mid June until roughly mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Plan around that when you fish Crocker Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Golden Lake, 0.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Crocker Lake.