Hoopah Lake Fishing Guide, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Look for Hoopah Lake in Inyo County, California. It sits in rolling bush. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. Most waters listed here for Inyo County are larger. West Bishop is the closest place, 21 miles off. Beyond it, Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek at 24 miles and Bishop at 24 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Hoopah Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Inyo County include california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Hoopah Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 50°F at the top of summer and 19°F at the bottom of winter. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid June. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid June in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Hoopah Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Big Chief Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Treat Hoopah Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.