Upper Indian Lake Fishing in Fresno County, California

• Overview

  Fresno County, California, is where Upper Indian Lake sits. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. By elevation it is in the upper part of our California listings. West Bishop lies 25 miles from the water. For a city, Clovis is 53 miles off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Upper Indian Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Fresno County cover brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Upper Indian Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 55°F in August and bottoms out near 24°F in January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about early December in an average year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Upper Indian Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Heather Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Upper Indian Lake is worth confirming on the day.