Martha Lake Fishing Guide, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Martha Lake is one of the Inyo County waters in California. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. Roughly 135 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs in an even curve, so features come from what lies under the surface. Size puts it in the front rank of our Inyo County list. The closest town, West Bishop, is 24 miles distant. Big Pine is 25 miles and Bishop 26 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Martha Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Inyo County records list california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Take Martha Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 49°F for August and 18°F for February. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late June. In an average year the thaw lands around late June and the freeze near mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Martha Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Valor Lake, 1 mile out. Nothing on Martha Lake should be assumed from this page alone.