Vogelsang Lake Fishing Guide, Mono County, California

• Overview

  The Mono County end of California holds Vogelsang Lake. The bank is 10,325 feet above sea level. About 21 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. For a base, Yosemite Valley sits 13 miles out. Further out sit Mammoth Lakes (22 miles) and Midpines (36 miles). Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Vogelsang Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Mono County records list brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Vogelsang Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between February at about 23°F and August at about 53°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually goes in early June, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between early June and late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Vogelsang Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Hanging Basket Lake, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Vogelsang Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.