Precipice Lake near Three Rivers: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  In California, Precipice Lake falls inside Tulare County. Elevation runs to 10,308 feet. This is a pocket water of some 15 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. You are 21 miles from Three Rivers. It is 43 miles to Visalia, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Precipice Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Tulare County include rainbow trout, brook trout, california golden trout and Sacramento sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. Precipice Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 52°F in August and bottoms out near 20°F in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early June. The lid tends to go about early June and return around mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Precipice Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. A camping area sits within 140 yards of here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Hamilton Lakes is 1.1 miles off. Check the position at Precipice Lake before loading the car.