Lake Zitella Fishing in El Dorado County, California

• Overview

  Lake Zitella lies within the bounds of El Dorado County, California. It sits at 7,631 feet above sea level. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Tahoma lies 9.1 miles from the water. Further out sit South Lake Tahoe (13 miles) and Sunnyside-Tahoe City (14 miles). This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lake Zitella

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. 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. Records held for El Dorado County cover rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and brook trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Treat Lake Zitella as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 26°F in January up to 59°F in August. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Anyone fishing Lake Zitella regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Horseshoe Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Lake Zitella in what we hold.