Shirley Lake Fishing near Yosemite Valley, California

• Overview

  You will find Shirley Lake in Madera County, California. It stands 9,173 feet above sea level. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Nearest place of any size is Yosemite Valley, 17 miles away. After that come Oakhurst at 22 miles and Mammoth Lakes at 23 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Shirley Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Public occurrence data for Madera County names brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, bluegill and brook trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Shirley Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 58°F in August and bottoms out near 27°F in February. A lid forms in a hard winter only. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. The season on Shirley Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Chittenden Lake, 0.4 miles away. Rules at Shirley Lake are worth checking on the day.