Francis Lake Fishing Guide, El Dorado County, California

• Overview

  Francis Lake is set in El Dorado County, California. Elevation runs to 6,299 feet. This is a pocket water of some 3 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in El Dorado County. Nearest place of any size is Tahoma, 12 miles away. It is 47 miles to Reno, the nearest city. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Francis Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for El Dorado County include 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 Francis Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 63°F; the cold one sits at 33°F. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. Expect Francis Lake to follow that timing. Water temperature lags behind air temperature by days, not hours.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. The slipway at North boat ramp is half a mile away. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Loon Lake at 1.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Francis Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.