Fishing at Laura Lake, Mono County, California

• Overview

  Set in Mono County, California, this is Laura Lake. It sits at 9,662 feet above sea level. About 7 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Mammoth Lakes lies 9.9 miles from the water. After that come Yosemite Valley at 24 miles and Oakhurst at 38 miles. Also on the doorstep: Clarice Lake within 0.3 miles, Altha Lake 0.6 miles, Shadow Lake within 0.9 miles, Garnet Lake 1.4 miles and Rosalie Lake within 1.5 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Laura Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, owens sucker and california golden trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The shape of Laura Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 23°F in February up to 54°F in August. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late May. Break-up near late May, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. On Laura Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Clarice Lake, 0.3 miles away. None of that is settled for Laura Lake in what we hold.