Lonely Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Tulare County, California. It stands 10,784 feet above sea level. At roughly 9 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. By elevation it is in the upper part of our California listings. Three Rivers sits 21 miles from the bank. Lone Pine follows at 29 miles, then Woodlake at 31 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lonely Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Tulare County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, california golden trout, Sacramento sucker and black crappie. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Read Lonely Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 54°F; the cold one sits at 20°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After early June the shallows warm and the fish move up. From about early June to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That is the shape of the year on Lonely Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Big Bird Lake is 1.1 miles distant. Nothing on Lonely Lake should be assumed from this page alone.