Fishing at Mirror Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Mirror Lake sits in Inyo County, out in California. The water sits 10,702 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 2 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. On size it sits at the modest end of our Inyo County list. The nearest place of any size is Lone Pine, 11 miles away. Three Rivers is 37 miles away, with Big Pine at 41 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Mirror Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Inyo County include california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Mirror Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 18°F in January up to 49°F in August. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid June. The water is typically free of ice between mid June and mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan around that when you fish Mirror Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Frog Pond at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Mirror Lake carry more weight than any list.