Lost Lake in Tuolumne County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Tuolumne County, California, sits Lost Lake. Elevation runs to 9,705 feet. At 10 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. For a base, Yosemite Valley sits 34 miles out. For a city, Modesto is 84 miles off. Nearby alternatives: High Emigrant Lake after 1.7 miles, Emigrant Meadow Lake at 2 miles, Kennedy Lake after 2.1 miles, Mosquito Lake at 2.4 miles and Middle Emigrant Lake after 2.8 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lost Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Tuolumne County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker, bluegill and brown trout. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Lost Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 54°F and January near 22°F on the long-run figures. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Look for the thaw near early June; the fishing lifts straight after. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early June and starts locking again about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It holds true on Lost Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, High Emigrant Lake at 1.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Lost Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.