Hilton Creek Lakes Fishing near Mammoth Lakes, California

• Overview

  Hilton Creek Lakes lies within the bounds of Mono County, California. The bank is 10,689 feet above sea level. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is high ground by California standards. The nearest town is Mammoth Lakes, 17 miles away. West Bishop follows at 19 miles, then Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek at 20 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hilton Creek Lakes

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Mono County list brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Hilton Creek Lakes is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 50°F in August and bottom out at 20°F in February. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid June. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid June and starts locking again about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That shapes the year on Hilton Creek Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Patricia Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. For Hilton Creek Lakes, the notice at the access point is the final word.