Donkey Lake Fishing in Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Donkey Lake falls in Inyo County, part of California. The bank is 10,623 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 8 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is high ground by California standards. The nearest place of any size is West Bishop, 16 miles away. The nearest city of size is Clovis, 65 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Donkey Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Inyo County cover california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Donkey Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 52°F, the coldest about 20°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Once it clears, about early June, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages suggest open water from about early June through to roughly mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Anyone fishing Donkey Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Baboon Lakes, 0.5 miles out. Ask locally about Donkey Lake if anything is unclear.