Upper Blue Lake Fishing Guide, Alpine County, California

• Overview

  Upper Blue Lake is listed under Alpine County, California. The surface lies 8,130 feet up. At some 294 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. There is roughly 2.3 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Size puts it in the front rank of our Alpine County list. Start from South Lake Tahoe, 21 miles down the road. The big place round here is Reno, 62 miles distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Upper Blue Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Public occurrence data for Alpine County names brook trout, rainbow trout, great basin cutthroat trout, cutthroat trout and tahoe sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Upper Blue Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 57°F for August and 25°F for January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. At Upper Blue Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lost Lakes is 1.1 miles off. Confirm access to Upper Blue Lake locally before you travel.