Fishing at Kole Lake, Tuolumne County, California

• Overview

  Set in Tuolumne County, California, this is Kole Lake. Elevation runs to 8,432 feet. It covers about 7 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Twain Harte, is 26 miles distant. Cedar Ridge is 28 miles away, with Tuolumne City at 28 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off. Nothing about the approach is difficult in dry weather.

• Where to Fish on Kole Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Tuolumne County include rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker, bluegill and brown trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work Kole Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 26°F in January to roughly 59°F in August. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. The season on Kole Lake rarely departs from it. A grey, mild day is often better than a bright, still one.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Leighton Lake, 0.6 miles out. Rules at Kole Lake are worth checking on the day.