Fishing at Madera Lakes, Madera County, California

• Overview

  Madera Lakes is a Madera County water, California side. Around the bank it is mixed woodland. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Yosemite Valley at 18 miles is the nearest place to stop. Further out sit Oakhurst (22 miles) and Mammoth Lakes (23 miles). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Madera Lakes

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Madera County names brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Take Madera Lakes a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 58°F on average, February about 27°F. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Madera Lakes runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Vanderburgh Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Madera Lakes may have changed since it was mapped.