Fishing at Erin Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Erin Lake is an Inyo County water, in California. The country here is mixed forest. At 22 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. By elevation it is in the upper part of our California listings. The closest town, Lone Pine, is 14 miles distant. For a city, Visalia is 57 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Erin Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Inyo County list california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Erin Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 18°F and August at about 49°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid June. Averages suggest open water from about mid June through to roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Erin Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Primrose Lake, 0.7 miles away. Check the position at Erin Lake before loading the car.