Packsaddle Lake Fishing in Inyo County, California

• Overview

  In California, Packsaddle Lake belongs to Inyo County. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. At about 31 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. It sits higher than most water we list in California. Some 18 miles away sits West Bishop, the nearest settlement. Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek lies 21 miles off, Bishop another 21 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Packsaddle Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Inyo County include california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Packsaddle Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 49°F; the cold one sits at 18°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually goes in mid June, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Expect the water usable from around mid June until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Anyone fishing Packsaddle Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Payne Lake, 0.7 miles away. Nothing on Packsaddle Lake should be assumed from this page alone.