Waugh Lake Fishing Guide, Mono County, California

• Overview

  The Mono County entry here is Waugh Lake, in California. It sits in mixed forest. It measures about 179 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The whole outline is near 1.8 miles, and most of it is walkable. It ranks high for size among our Mono County listings. Start from Mammoth Lakes, 14 miles down the road. Yosemite Valley is 21 miles away, with Oakhurst at 39 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Waugh Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Survey and observation records for Mono County include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Waugh Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 50°F for August and 19°F for February. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid June. Break-up sits around mid June on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Waugh Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Weber Lake, 1.1 miles out. For Waugh Lake in particular, ask before you travel.