Sherwin Lakes Fishing

Mammoth Lakes - Mono County

Sherwin Lakes are a series of small lakes off the beaten path near Mammoth Lakes, California. A one-hour hike on a well-established trail delivers you to this serene cluster of lakes. Fishing is good in all the larger Sherwin Lakes for rainbow and brook trout.

Sherwin Lakes are at an elevation of 8,700 feet, several hundred feet lower than most of the Mammoth Lakes.

Sidetrips

Ambitious hikers can push on up the trail another 2½ miles and 1000 feet of elevation gain to Valentine Lake. The lake is withing the John Muir Wilderness. Visitors to the lake will probably find few, if any, others along the shore.

Sherwin Lake, Mammoth Lakes, Mono County, California

Lower Sherwin Lake

Nearby Featured Trips in Mammoth Lakes:

Crystal Lake - Enjoy scenic views of Mammoth as you hike to this pretty alpine lake.
Emerald Lake - a short hike to a beautiful mountain lake with good fishing.
Skelton Lake - a 2-mile hike brings you to the shores of a great mountain lake with plenty of room to explore the best fishing spots.
T. J. Lake - a beautiful, secluded mountain lake
Middle Fork San Joaquin River - 9 miles of river at Devils Postpile

Upper Sherwin Lake

In My Creel

#16 Stimulator
#14 Blue Wing Olive Humpy
#14 Elk Hair Caddis
#16 Royal Wulff
#8 Psycho Ant
Mepps lures
South Bend Super Duper

I headed up to Sherwin Lakes prepared for all kinds of conditions, thinking I might be fishing the main lakes and also some of the surrounding ponds. As it turned out I was doing so well on the main lakes that I never tested any of the ponds.

Recommended Books, Lures, and Flies for Fishing Sherwin Lakes

FISHINGSIR Fly Fishing Flies Kit - 64/100/110/120pcs Handmade Fly Fishing Lures - Dry/Wet Flies,Streamer, Nymph, Emerger with Waterproof Fly Box - Large selection of flies includes trusted patterns (such as Adams, Woolly Bugger, Elk Hair Caddis, Griffith's Gnat, Stimulator, Egg Fly, etc.) used by anglers around the world.
Mepps Plain Lure Assortment Trouter Kit Spinner blades are silver or gold plated, copper, or polished brass .
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.

Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes, Mono County, California

Mammoth Mountain from Sherwin Lakes Trail

Sierra Fishing Destinations

HOME

Making Your Way to Sherwin Lakes

Sherwin Lakes are tucked in a valley on the southwest side of the Mammoth Lakes area. To reach Sherwin Lakes drive on Highway 395 which runs north and south along the foot of California's Eastern Sierra. Turn up Highway 203 and follow it to Mammoth Lakes Village where you turn left on Old Mammoth Road. After 0.8 miles turn left onto Sherwin Lakes Road.

The Sherwin Lakes Road begins as a paved road and then turns to gravel for a short distance. Watch for the Sherwin Lakes sign after driving 1.3 miles on this road and turn right up a road, keeping to the left at a Y. Shortly you will arrive at the trailhead parking lot. Restrooms are available there.

The 2.3-mile trail climbs 900 feet up to the lakes at a moderate incline. At first you hike across sage, but soon the trail enters the trees at the Sherwin Creek bridge. An old trail follows the creek, but you should avoid it and use the newer route. The trail switch-backs up the hillside, at times offering views across the valley toward Mammoth Mountain. At the top of the hill the trail levels off and then eases down to the lower of the two main lakes. It is the most scenic and easiest to fish of the two larger lakes.

A maze of trails leads around the left shore of the lower Sherwin Lake and around to the upper lake. The upper Sherwin Lake is surrounded by boulders on most sides, making approach difficult at times. During periods of low water in the fall it becomes two lakes. Fishing is great on all the lakes.

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.

There are plenty of campgrounds around Mammoth Lakes, but they can be crowded during the summer. Sherwin Creek Campground, just ¾ mile from the trailhead to Sherwin Lakes, is a little more out of way and offers a pleasant place to stay. It has 85 sites and you can make reservations ahead of time.

Up around the Mammoth Lakes you'll find Coldwater Creek Campground, Lake George Campground, Pine City Campground, and Twin Lakes Campground. Reservations are possible at some of these campgrounds. For RV owners, Mammoth Mountain RV Park is located at 2667 Main Street.

California's Best Camping

For complete information about campgrounds at Mammoth Lakes, see

High Sierra Trails

Thousand Island Lake

Fishing Supplies

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