Yost Lake near Mammoth Lakes: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Mono County end of California holds Yost Lake. The water sits 9,072 feet up. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Mono County are larger. Mammoth Lakes lies 9.4 miles from the water. Further out sit Yosemite Valley (26 miles) and Oakhurst (42 miles). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Yost Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Mono County names brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Yost Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 54°F in August and bottoms out near 23°F in February. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid usually goes in late May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. In an average year the thaw lands around late May and the freeze near late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Yost Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There are picnic tables recorded roughly half a mile off. 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. Failing this one, try Fern Lake, 0.8 miles away. Rules at Yost Lake are worth checking on the day.