Matlock Lake Fishing near Lone Pine, California

• Overview

  California holds Matlock Lake, in Inyo County. The surface lies 10,564 feet up. At 9 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is high ground by California standards. Some 20 miles away sits Lone Pine, the nearest settlement. Visalia is the closest city, 60 miles away. Nearest other option: Slim Lake just 0.1 miles, Bench Lake 0.2 miles, Flower Lake just 0.4 miles, Gilbert Lake 0.4 miles and Heart Lake just 0.6 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Matlock Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Inyo County: california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Take Matlock Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 20°F to 52°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Once it clears, about early June, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at early June and the freeze at mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Matlock Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Slim Lake, 0.1 miles away. Confirm access to Matlock Lake locally before you travel.