Palisade Lakes near Big Pine: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  You will find Palisade Lakes in Inyo County, California. The setting is lake country bush. Surface area is around 25 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. It sits higher than most water we list in California. Nearest town is Big Pine, 13 miles off. Further out sit West Bishop (21 miles) and Bishop (22 miles). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Palisade Lakes

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Inyo County names california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Palisade Lakes a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 18°F to 49°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Count the season from break-up, usually late June. Open water usually runs from late June until about mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That shapes the year on Palisade Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Doe Lake, 1.6 miles away. Confirm access to Palisade Lakes locally before you travel.