Fishing Puppet Lake in Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Puppet Lake is set in Inyo County, California. The ground around here is mixed forest. At about 50 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Size puts it in the front rank of our Inyo County list. For supplies, West Bishop is 16 miles out. Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek is 19 miles and Bishop 19 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Puppet Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Inyo County include california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Puppet Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 50°F and January near 18°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually goes in mid June, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The open-water window runs from around mid June to about mid November in an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Puppet Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Elba Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Puppet Lake before loading the car.