Hoover Lakes in Mariposa County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In California, Hoover Lakes falls inside Mariposa County. It lies 8,714 feet above sea level. Small at around 11 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Head to Yosemite Valley, 11 miles away, for anything you forgot. After that come Oakhurst at 21 miles and Ahwahnee at 22 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Hoover Lakes

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Mariposa County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The shape of Hoover Lakes decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 56°F, the coldest about 26°F. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. That is the shape of the year on Hoover Lakes. Water colour tells you more than the air temperature does.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Givens Lake sits 1.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Hoover Lakes should be assumed from this page alone.