Fishing at Sky Blue Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Sky Blue Lake is set in Inyo County, California. The surface lies 11,552 feet up. Around 46 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. On our Inyo County list it sits near the top for size. The nearest place of any size is Lone Pine, 13 miles away. Visalia is the closest city, 58 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Sky Blue Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Inyo County: california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Treat Sky Blue Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 18°F in January up to 49°F in August. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice-out usually falls in mid June, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On average, mid June opens the water and mid November closes it again. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At Sky Blue Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Iridescent Lake, 0.8 miles away. Treat Sky Blue Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.