Red Lake Fishing in Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Look for Red Lake in Inyo County, California. The setting is mixed forest on every side. At roughly 12 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Compared with other California water on our list, it sits high. Big Pine is the closest town at 12 miles. After that come West Bishop at 24 miles and Bishop at 24 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Red Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Inyo County: california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Red Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 59°F for August and 24°F for January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at early December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It sets the rhythm of the year at Red Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Tinemaha Lake is 1.9 miles off. Rules at Red Lake are worth checking on the day.