Dave's Sierra Fishing

Emerald Lake Fishing

Mammoth Lakes, California

Emerald Lake Overview

Emerald Lake is another beautiful lake just a short hike from the road's end at Mammoth Lakes in California's Eastern Sierra. Fishing is good for rainbows and brook trout. Emerald Lake is easy to reach from the Coldwater Campground at the south end of Lake Mary. A twenty minute hike on a well marked trail delivers you to the water's edge, ready for an early morning of fishing.

Emerald Lake are at an elevation of 9,500 feet. It makes a good destination for children because there are safe places along the shore for them to fish.

Approach to Emerald Lake

To get to Emerald Lake drive on Highway 395 which runs north and south along the foot of California's Eastern Sierra. Turn up Highway 203 and follow it through Mammoth Lakes, staying on what becomes Lake Mary Road, rather than turning right toward Devils Postpile.

Drive on the Lake Mary Loop Road to the south end of the lake and through Coldwater Campground to a parking lot at the trailhead at the far south end of the campground. Restrooms are available there. The hike to Emerald Lake Road is only 3/4 mile, so it makes a good early morning destination, allowing you to arrive while the fish are still rising for their sunrise feast.

You could also approach Emerald Lake along the same trail that leads to T.J. Lake, but it is 2 miles by that route. That trail swings around Barrett Lake (where you see the sign pointing to Emerald Lake, crosses a low ridge and then follows the contours over to Emerald Lake. The trail may not appear on every map. I recommend that you purchase the Mammoth Trails Hiking Trail Map available at Booky Joint, 437 Old Mammoth Road. The map shows all the lakes and streams and the key trails to reach them.

In My Creel:

At Emerald Lake I decided to try my hand at spin casting and also do a little bait fishing.

Accommodations and Supplies:

Mammoth Lakes has accommodations to meet any budget. Because it is a popular ski resort area, there are an overabundance of condominiums available to rent. There are also some wonderful lodges and resorts which can make your stay at Mammoth Lakes all the more enjoyable. Among the nicest places to relax is Snowcreek Resort. Another one worth looking into is the Austria Hof Lodge which offers rooms and condos. Also take a look at the Mammoth Creek Inn, the Sierra Nevada Lodge, and the Westin Monache Resort.

There are plenty of campgrounds in the immediate Mammoth Lakes area, but they can be crowded during the summer. Coldwater Campground is right next to the trailhead to Emerald Lake and also within easy walking distance of Lake Mary, making it an ideal place to set up you base camp.

Other campgrounds around Mammoth Lakes include Lake George Campground, Pine City Campground, and Twin Lakes Campground. Reservations are possible at some of these campgrounds. See Mammoth Lakes Map for a map of the campground locations and information about fees and campground amenities. For RV owners, Mammoth Mountain RV Park is located at 2667 Main St.

For more information about camping, lodging, boating, and fishing in the Mammoth Lakes area, see California's Greatest Lakes coverage of Mammoth Lakes.

Fishing supplies can be purchased locally at the following places:

• The Trout Fly and Troutfitter, ShellMart Center, Hwy. 203
• Performance Anglers, 26 Old Mammoth Rd., #L2
• Kittredge Sports, 3218 Main Street, Mammoth Lakes
• Vons, 481 Old Mammoth Road, Mammoth Lakes
• Reds Meadow General Store, Reds Meadow

Recommended Books for Fishing the Eastern Sierra

• Fly Fishing Mammoth: A Fly Fisher's Guide to the Mammoth Lakes Area, Mark J. Heskett. Information about fishing the Mammoth Lakes area of the Eastern Sierra.
• Fly Fishing Eastern Sierra Streams, Where to Go, What to Use, and How to Get There, Mike Brown. Great book detailing the best streams in the Eastern Sierra. Color Photographs.
• California's Best Fly Fishing: Premier Streams and Rivers from Northern California to the Eastern Sierra, Chip O'Brien. An up-to-date guidebook, complete with maps, detailed descriptions of fishing locations, analysis of the seasonal differences which affect fishing, and fly patterns.
• The Definitive Guide to Fishing Central California , Chris Shaffer. The book details more than 380 lakes, rivers and streams around Central California. The full color guide has more than 500 color photos.

Sidetrips

Several other good fishing lakes are nearby. From Emerald Lake you could continue on another mile to Skelton Lake and nearby Arrowhead Lake. Farther up the trail are Barney Lake and Duck Lake. All these lakes have rainbow and brook trout.