Fishing at Jawbone Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Inyo County in California is where Jawbone Lake sits. The ground around here is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 8 acres — small enough to read in one session. Compared with other California water on our list, it sits high. You are 20 miles from West Bishop. Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek lies 22 miles off, Bishop another 23 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Jawbone Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Inyo County: california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of Jawbone Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 50°F at the top of summer and 19°F at the bottom of winter. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about mid June, the fishing comes on quickly. In an average year the thaw lands around mid June and the freeze near mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It holds true on Jawbone Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Council Lake at 0.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Jawbone Lake are worth checking on the day.