Four-Q Lakes in El Dorado County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Four-Q Lakes lies in El Dorado County, California. Elevation runs to 7,487 feet. Some 9.5 miles away sits Tahoma, the nearest settlement. Further out sit South Lake Tahoe (12 miles) and Sunnyside-Tahoe City (14 miles). Near neighbours: Lake Schmidell after 1 mile, Horseshoe Lake within 1.3 miles, Lake Zitella after 1.7 miles, Lake Lois within 1.9 miles and Lake Number Three after 1.9 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Four-Q Lakes

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and brook trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Four-Q Lakes a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 59°F in August and bottom out at 26°F in January. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. That is the shape of the year on Four-Q Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Lake Schmidell, 1 mile away. Confirm before you fish Four-Q Lakes.