Lake Doris Fishing Guide, El Dorado County, California

• Overview

  Lake Doris is an El Dorado County water, California side. The water sits 8,353 feet up. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Start from South Lake Tahoe, 11 miles down the road. Further out sit Tahoma (12 miles) and Kingsbury (16 miles). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lake Doris

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across El Dorado County: rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and brook trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Lake Doris light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 58°F at the top of summer and 28°F at the bottom of winter. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. It holds true on Lake Doris more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Lake Lois at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. For Lake Doris in particular, ask before you travel.