Stella Lake in Mono County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Stella Lake is one of the Mono County waters in California. It lies 9,511 feet above sea level. At roughly 4 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Mono County. The closest town, Yosemite Valley, is 30 miles distant. Twain Harte is 37 miles and Topaz Ranch Estates 39 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Stella Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Mono County cover brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Stella Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 54°F and January near 22°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up near late May, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Stella Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a fishing water. There is a marked fishing area half a mile from here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Bonnie Lake is 0.5 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Stella Lake for certain.