Tamarack Creek, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Tamarack Creek is one of the Mono County waters in California. This is lake country bush country. Supplies mean a trip to Yosemite Valley, 32 miles off. After that come Topaz Ranch Estates at 41 miles and Mammoth Lakes at 41 miles. Others worth noting: Tamarack Lake within 2.8 miles, Hunewill Lake 3.7 miles off, Glenberry Lake within 4.5 miles, Avalanche Lake 4.7 miles off and Turquoise Lake within 4.7 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Tamarack Creek

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Flow decides everything here: read the seams before you cast. Slack water behind an obstruction is worth more than open current. Records held for Mono County cover brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Tamarack Creek that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 55°F, while January sits near 23°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The quiet pools cap over in winter, the riffles never quite do, and mid May clears the lot. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Tamarack Creek.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Tamarack Lake, 2.8 miles away. The position on Tamarack Creek is worth confirming on the day.