Fishing at Forest Lake, Monterey County, California

• Overview

  This water sits in Monterey County, California. Tidal water begins 1.3 miles from here. At 18 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Size puts it in the front rank of our Monterey County list. Del Monte Forest sits 0.4 miles from the bank. Pacific Grove follows at 2.3 miles, then Monterey at 2.7 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Forest Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Monterey County records list jack mackerel, flathead grey mullet, yellowtail amberjack, Chinook salmon and Coho salmon among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Work Forest Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 51°F in January up to 59°F in September. Cold never closes this one. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. That shapes the year on Forest Lake. Spring warms the shallows first, so start there.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. A car park sits roughly half a mile away. A pier 130 yards from here gives a platform over deeper water. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is El Estero, 3.3 miles out. Check the position at Forest Lake before loading the car.