Fishing at Marion Lake, Fresno County, California

• Overview

  Within Fresno County, California, you have Marion Lake. The surface lies 10,308 feet up. It covers about 24 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Some 18 miles away sits Big Pine, the nearest settlement. Visalia is the closest city, 62 miles away. Round about: Bench Lake about 3.5 miles, State Lakes at about 4.2 miles, Doe Lake about 4.8 miles, Lake Marjorie at about 5.2 miles and Cardinal Lake about 5.2 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Marion Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fresno County records list brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Marion Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 22°F in January up to 53°F in August. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early June. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early June and starts locking again about late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. On Marion Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Bench Lake is 3.5 miles distant. Where Marion Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.