Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Fishing near Yosemite Valley, California

• Overview

  Set in Tuolumne County, California, this is Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The setting is mixed woodland. It measures some 3.1 sq miles, and wind has room to build across it. Around 16 miles of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. It is among the larger waters listed here for Tuolumne County. The town to know is Yosemite Valley, 16 miles out. Tuolumne City is 28 miles away, with Twain Harte at 28 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Reported across Tuolumne County: rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker, bluegill and brown trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 35°F in December up to 66°F in August. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. The season on Hetch Hetchy Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Public data flags this water as closed to fishing. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Harden Lake is 4.2 miles off. None of that is settled for Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in what we hold.