Fishing at Moon Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  The Inyo County entry here is Moon Lake, in California. It sits in mixed forest. It sits higher than most water we list in California. The nearest place of any size is West Bishop, 16 miles away. Then Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek, 18 miles, and Bishop, 19 miles. Neighbouring water: Puppet Lake at 0.5 miles, Little Lake (0.5 miles), Elba Lake at 0.5 miles, Star Lake (0.7 miles) and Lorraine Lake at 0.9 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Moon Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Inyo County: california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Moon Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 50°F and January near 18°F on the long-run figures. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter locks it down, and mid June brings it back. Ice clears near mid June and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Moon Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Puppet Lake, 0.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Moon Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.