Fishing at Hester Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Within Inyo County, California, you have Hester Lake. The bank gives way to pine and birch. It covers about 14 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It sits higher than most water we list in California. For supplies, Big Pine is 19 miles out. After that come West Bishop at 21 miles and Bishop at 23 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hester Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Inyo County list california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Hester Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 50°F; by February the average is down near 19°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid June. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid June until roughly mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Hester Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Ladder Lake, 1.7 miles away. For Hester Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.