Fishing at Scoop Lake, Mono County, California

• Overview

  Set in Mono County, California, this is Scoop Lake. The ground around here is pine and birch. Head to Mammoth Lakes, 9.1 miles away, for anything you forgot. West Bishop is 32 miles and Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek 33 miles. Water in the same corner: Lost Keys Lakes at 0.9 miles, Marsh Lake about 1.1 miles, Bench Lakes at 1.5 miles, Lagoon Lake about 2.3 miles and Sharktooth Lake at 2.4 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Scoop Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Mono County: brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. Scoop Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 53°F, the coldest about 22°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early June. In an average year the thaw lands around early June and the freeze near late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Expect Scoop Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Lost Keys Lakes, 0.9 miles out. Check the position on Scoop Lake before loading the car.