Deer Lake Fishing in Fresno County, California

• Overview

  Set in Fresno County, Deer Lake is a California water. The surface lies 9,321 feet up. About 2 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Fresno County standards. Auberry is the closest place, 26 miles off. Further out sit Mammoth Lakes (26 miles) and Oakhurst (31 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Fresno County names brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and green sunfish. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Deer Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 29°F to 58°F. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. The season on Deer Lake follows the weather closely. A steady wind fishes better than a still, bright day.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Picnic facilities are recorded some half a mile out. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Camp Sixty One Lake, 1.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Deer Lake locally before you travel.