Parker Lake in Mono County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In California, Parker Lake falls inside Mono County. It lies 8,301 feet above sea level. At roughly 22 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. For supplies, Mammoth Lakes is 16 miles out. Yosemite Valley lies 24 miles off, Oakhurst another 44 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off. The character changes with the season more than with the year.

• Where to Fish on Parker Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Mono County records list brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, owens sucker and california golden trout among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Parker Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 62°F; by January the average is down near 27°F. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Parker Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Grant Lake is 2.6 miles off. Ask locally about Parker Lake if anything is unclear.