Hell for Sure Lake in Fresno County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hell for Sure Lake is listed under Fresno County, California. Land around it is rolling bush. Roughly 60 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. A shoreline of some 1.1 miles keeps the choices simple. It is among the larger waters listed here for Fresno County. West Bishop at 24 miles is the nearest place to stop. Clovis sits 54 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Hell for Sure Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Fresno County: brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, green sunfish and Sacramento sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Take Hell for Sure Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 52°F in August and bottom out at 21°F in February. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice-out usually falls in early June, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Expect the water usable from around early June until roughly late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Hell for Sure Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Horseshoe Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Hell for Sure Lake locally before you travel.