Greenstone Lake in Mono County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Mono County in California is where Greenstone Lake sits. Height above sea level is 10,138 feet. About 22 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Yosemite Valley lies 23 miles from the water. After that come Mammoth Lakes at 29 miles and Midpines at 46 miles. Also on the doorstep: Wasco Lake 0.6 miles away, Hummingbird Lake lies 0.6 miles on, Z Lake 0.7 miles away, Saddlebag Lake lies 0.9 miles on and Odell Lake 1.1 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Greenstone Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Mono County: brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Greenstone Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 51°F in August and bottom out at 20°F in February. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid June. On average, mid June opens the water and mid November closes it again. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Greenstone Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Wasco Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Where Greenstone Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.