Hemlock Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in El Dorado County, California. Land around it is open valley. A splashy cast here empties the swim; a quiet one owns it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in El Dorado County. Nearest place of any size is South Lake Tahoe, 12 miles away. Tahoma lies 15 miles off, Kingsbury another 17 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Hemlock Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in El Dorado County include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, brook trout and bluegill. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Hemlock Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 58°F and December at 28°F. In milder years the surface never sets. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. Hemlock Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern. Settled weather over several days beats a single fine one.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. A camping area sits within 100 yards of here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Grouse Lake is 0.4 miles off. Confirm before you fish Hemlock Lake.