Evelyn Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Evelyn Lake is one of the Mono County listings for California. It lies 10,341 feet above sea level. At about 43 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Few waters listed in Mono County are bigger. Yosemite Valley at 15 miles is the nearest place to stop. It is 71 miles to Clovis, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Evelyn Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Mono County records list brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Evelyn Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 51°F in August and bottom out at 20°F in February. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice-out usually falls in mid June, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The season between ice runs from about mid June to mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Time your trip to Evelyn Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Townsley Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Evelyn Lake is worth confirming on the day.