Fishing Lake McDermand in Inyo County, California

• Overview

  This water sits in Inyo County, California. The water sits 11,535 feet up. Surface area runs to about 22 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is high ground by California standards. Supplies mean a trip to West Bishop, 21 miles off. Big Pine follows at 22 miles, then Bishop at 23 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake McDermand

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Inyo County include california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Fish Lake McDermand to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 49°F in August and bottoms out near 18°F in February. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late June. In an average year the thaw lands around late June and the freeze near mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Lake McDermand follows the weather closely.

• 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. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Wanda Lake is 0.7 miles distant. None of that is settled for Lake McDermand in what we hold.