Fishing at Long Lake, Tuolumne County, California

• Overview

  The Tuolumne County entry here is Long Lake, in California. It sits at 8,727 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 81 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. A shoreline of some 1.6 miles keeps the choices simple. Few waters listed in Tuolumne County are bigger. Nearest place of any size is Twain Harte, 28 miles away. Modesto sits 77 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Tuolumne County cover rainbow trout, brook trout and Sacramento sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. Work Long Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 56°F; by January the average is down near 24°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid May. From about mid May to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Expect Long Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Starvation Lake, 0.9 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Long Lake for certain.