Leopold Lake Fishing in Tuolumne County, California

• Overview

  Leopold Lake lies in Tuolumne County, in California. The land about it is lake country bush. Surface area runs to about 10 acres — small enough to read in one session. Twain Harte lies 25 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Modesto, 75 miles away. Round about: Toejam Lake lies 0.9 miles on, 1.1 miles out stands Piute Lake, Gem Lake lies 1.2 miles on, 1.4 miles out stands Wire Lakes and Jewelry Lake lies 1.6 miles on. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Leopold Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Tuolumne County include rainbow trout, brook trout and Sacramento sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Leopold Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 24°F in January up to 56°F in August. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Leopold Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Toejam Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Leopold Lake for certain.