Moraine Lake Fishing in Tulare County, California

• Overview

  Out in Tulare County, California, sits Moraine Lake. This is rolling bush country. At about 39 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. On our Tulare County list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to Lone Pine, 24 miles off. Then Three Rivers, 25 miles, and Woodlake, 36 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Moraine Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Tulare County include rainbow trout, brook trout and california golden trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The near bank of Moraine Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 56°F and January reads 22°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Look for the thaw near mid May; the fishing lifts straight after. Break-up near mid May, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Moraine Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Big Five Lakes, 4 miles away. Treat Moraine Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.