Wishbone Lake in Inyo County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Wishbone Lake is listed under Inyo County, California. Pine and birch runs right down to the water. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Inyo County list holds plenty of bigger water. West Bishop lies 16 miles from the water. Bishop follows at 18 miles, then Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek at 18 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Wishbone Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Inyo County records list california golden trout, brook trout and rainbow trout among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Wishbone Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 20°F to 52°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually goes in early June, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages suggest open water from about early June through to roughly mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Wishbone Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Sky High Lake, 0.4 miles out. Check the position on Wishbone Lake before loading the car.