Wilma Lake, California: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Wilma Lake belongs to Tuolumne County, California. The surroundings are mixed woodland. It runs to roughly 25 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The closest town, Yosemite Valley, is 23 miles distant. The nearest city of size is Modesto, 80 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Wilma Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Tuolumne County records list rainbow trout, brook trout, Sacramento sucker and bluegill among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Treat Wilma Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 58°F; by February the average is down near 27°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. On Wilma Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Little Otter Lake at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Wilma Lake.