Fishing at Yosemite Lake, Merced County, California

• Overview

  Yosemite Lake falls in Merced County, part of California. The surface lies 243 feet up. About 428 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 3.2 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. It lies lower than most water we list in California. 6 miles away sits Merced, the nearest town. Beyond it, Planada at 8.6 miles and Atwater at 10 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Yosemite Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Records held for Merced County cover common carp, striped bass and Sacramento sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Yosemite Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 79°F and December near 45°F on the long-run figures. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. That is the shape of the year on Yosemite Lake. Cloud cover is worth more than temperature on a bright week.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is a mapped slipway roughly half a mile away. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. A platform or pier sits within half a mile. Mapping shows a picnic spot within half a mile. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Failing this one, try Bear Reservoir, 11 miles away. Nothing on Yosemite Lake should be assumed from this page alone.