Pro Tips for Fall Fishing in Mammoth Lakes

December 12, 2023

Award-winning author and journalist Mike McKenna and writer behind Casting Around the Eastern Sierra, a book focused on fishing in Mammoth Lakes area, brings you his top 3 local lakes for fall anglers.

Professional fishing guide with Sierra Drifters, Doug Rodricks, follows Mike's words of wisdom with his own pro-tips. Together, they'll surely help you make the most of your next autumn fishing trip to the Eastern Sierra.

Mike's best places to fish in the fall

Lake George

We all have moments when the stress, chaos or negativity of life gets to us and we feel like we’re going to pop. Experts say one of the best things to do at such times is to take deep breaths and to think about someplace that brings you feelings of happiness and tranquility.

Fishing during an autumn afternoon at Lake George is one of those places for me. And if you’ve ever fished—or even just hiked around the lake—you know why.

The rather small 38-acre lake where the paved road ends is nice and quiet. At 9,060’, it’s the highest drive-to lake in the Mammoth Lakes Basin and reminds you that you’re on the edge of the wild High Sierra.

It is best fished from a float tube or kayak, but there’s also lots of shore casting options reached fairly easily from the trail that encircles the lake. The box-shaped lake’s big brown and rainbow trout can usually be found in the depths during mid-day and cruising the shallows at dusk

Lake George is surrounded by lodgepole pines and Crystal Crag rises high above its banks like a mast. It was named in honor of King George V with the larger, Lake Mary, just below it named after his beloved queen.

fall trees changing color around lake with boats and mountains

Convict Lake

Fall is one of the best times to chase after trout like they owe you money, and if you’re lucky enough to land one at Convict Lake this October, you could actually get rewarded with some cold, hard cash.

Each fall Convict Lake Resort runs their Ambush at Lake Derby and on the last weekend of the month will now host the Morrison Bonus Derby, which will be giving out a couple thousand dollars in cash to a few blessed anglers.

Of course, even if you don’t catch a winning fish, it’s pretty easy to feel like a winner at Convict Lake. Much like George and Silver Lakes, Convict is a beautiful place to fish in the fall. Originally carved out by glaciers, the 170-acre lake is also home to healthy populations of rainbows and browns.

Convict Lake offers a little bit of something for almost any angling style. Anybody can hook into some nice trout at Convict Lake, whether you like to motorboat, kayak or float tube, or you prefer to shore cast while hiking around the 3-mile loop around the lake. Convict Creek just below the lake can be a fun spot to fish moving pocket water, too.

fall colors on trees with mountains and lake

Silver Lake

There aren’t many places as pretty to fish as Silver Lake in the fall. Mere words don’t really do much justice for the jewel of the June Lake Loop. Postcards only share a portion of it. Instagram posts merely hint at its beauty. You’ve got to go there yourself to truly appreciate all Silver Lake has to offer.

How big the mountains above it are. How brilliantly the fall sun sparkles like polished metal off its surface. How crisp the air is. How feisty the fish get once the nights get frosty.

Silver Lake covers 110 acres and is home to the oldest fishing retreat in area. Silver Creek Resort opened in 1916 and offers an experience that feels lost in time.

It’s easy to lose track of time while you’re fishing a lake that’s home to rainbow, brown, Lahontan cutthroat and the odd brook trout. The best way to fish Silver Lake is from a boat or from one of the access spots scattered along the shore. Rush Creek offers some fun moving water fishing at the inlets and outlets to Silver Lake as well.

Learn more about fishing in Mammoth Lakes, including permit pricing, fishing reports and forecasts.

person floating in lake with trees changing fall colors

Expert Advice with Fishing Guide Doug Rodricks

Doug's Fishing Tips and Tricks

Where on a river or creek is the best place to fish?

If the water is really cold, focus on the slower moving water. The fish are trying to stay insulated from the cold and don't want to use too much energy. You'll want to use longer leaders, have plenty of weight to get those flies down on the bottom where the fish can actually see it.

What flies work best for catching fish in fall?

Summer is definitely the peak time for all the different bugs, but there's still a few options in the fall: Stoneflies, Caddisflies, Damselflies, Midges, Mayflies Bait patterns: Streamer flies.

The leaves aren’t the only things changing with the season. Why do fish also change colors in the fall?

Basically, it's to attract females. As the temperatures cool, this triggers spawning behavior and the primary reason for the color change is to get ready for the spawn. Color changes include: Brown trout: Darker orange on the belly. Brook trout: Deep red on the belly. Rainbow trout: Rosey red on the gill plate and on the lateral line.

What do you do if you want to properly release a fish back in the water?

It's really important to revive the fish first. And it all starts once you land the fish in the net. Most people want to take the fish out of the net to take a picture of their catch, but the fish has been through a long battle, especially the bigger fish. The bigger the fish the longer they fight and the more time it takes to get them in.

What are tips for reviving the fish in the net?

Make sure they're upright and strong so they can swim away.
Then take out the fish if you plan on taking pictures.
Put the fish back in the net making sure it's fully revived.
Then release the fish back into the lake.

Author

Visit Mammoth

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