Little Lake near East Hemet: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Riverside County, California, is where Little Lake sits. Open low country runs right down to the water. Small at around 9 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Riverside County standards. Head to East Hemet, 1.5 miles away, for anything you forgot. Further out sit Valle Vista (1.9 miles) and Hemet (3.5 miles). There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Little Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists bluegill and arroyo chub. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. The shape of Little Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 51°F in January up to 80°F in August. The year runs unbroken and warm. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. Time your trip to Little Lake by conditions rather than dates. After a storm, the water clears from the edges inwards.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is San Jacinto Reservoir, 6.7 miles out. Treat access at Little Lake as something to verify.