Upper Merced Pass Lake Fishing in Mariposa County, California

• Overview

  Upper Merced Pass Lake is a Mariposa County water, California side. The surface lies 8,980 feet up. It covers about 2 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Mariposa County are larger. For supplies, Yosemite Valley is 11 miles out. It is 57 miles to Clovis, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Upper Merced Pass Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Mariposa County include rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, Sacramento sucker and black crappie. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Upper Merced Pass Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 56°F and February about 26°F. The season stretches long at both ends here. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Plan around that when you fish Upper Merced Pass Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Lower Merced Pass Lake is 0.4 miles distant. For Upper Merced Pass Lake in particular, ask before you travel.