Fishing Mahan Lake in Tuolumne County, California

• Overview

  The Tuolumne County entry here is Mahan Lake, in California. Everything around it is open valley. It covers about 22 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. 22 miles away sits Yosemite Valley, the nearest town. Twain Harte is 31 miles and Tuolumne City 32 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mahan Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Tuolumne County include rainbow trout, brook trout and Sacramento sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Mahan Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 28°F to 60°F. The season stretches long at both ends here. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Time your trip to Mahan Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Upper Branigan Lake, 1.1 miles away. For Mahan Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.