Fishing at Midnight Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Look for Midnight Lake in the Inyo County part of California. It stands 10,971 feet above sea level. It covers about 18 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Compared with other California water on our list, it sits high. For a base, West Bishop sits 17 miles out. Clovis sits 63 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Midnight Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Inyo County cover california golden trout, 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. Read Midnight Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 50°F and February at 19°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid June. Ice clears near mid June and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Expect Midnight Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Sailor Lake is 0.5 miles distant. Check the position on Midnight Lake before loading the car.