Iridescent Lake Fishing near Lone Pine, California

• Overview

  Iridescent Lake is an Inyo County water, California side. This is mixed forest country. With some 27 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Compared with other California water on our list, it sits high. Lone Pine sits 12 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Visalia, 59 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Iridescent Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Inyo County names california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Treat Iridescent Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 49°F in August and bottoms out near 18°F in January. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid June. Ice usually gives way near mid June, and forms again about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Iridescent Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Sky Blue Lake sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Iridescent Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.