Mary Lake Fishing Guide, Mono County, California

• Overview

  Mono County, California, is where Mary Lake sits. Land around it is mixed forest. The water covers some 66 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 1.2 miles of margin, front to back. It is among the larger waters listed here for Mono County. The closest town, Yosemite Valley, is 28 miles distant. Modesto sits 86 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Mary Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Mono County include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Mary Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 53°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early June. Break-up sits around early June on average, with the water closing again about late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Expect Mary Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Tower Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. For Mary Lake in particular, ask before you travel.