Fishing at Pelican Lake, San Bernardino County, California

• Overview

  Pelican Lake is set in San Bernardino County, California. The water sits 2,769 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. On size it sits at the modest end of our San Bernardino County list. The closest town, Spring Valley Lake, is 1.2 miles away. After that come Victorville at 2.1 miles and Mountain View Acres at 4.7 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Pelican Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include channel catfish, bluegill, common carp, green sunfish and black bullhead. It reflects what has been logged, which depends on who was looking. The shape of Pelican Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 79°F in July and bottom out at 45°F in December. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. That shapes the year on Pelican Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Horseshoe Lake, 0.4 miles away. For Pelican Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.