A Unique Year for Fishing Opener

Updated May 4, 2023: Convict Lake is ice free and the boats are in the water and ready for use! Crowley Lake is melting fast. Lakes on the June Lake Loop are continuing to melt more each day. Please continue to reach out to the fishing spot of your choice for the latest conditions.

Fishmas in the Eastern Sierra is scheduled for this Saturday, April 29, but what a unique opener it is going to be! Historic levels of snow this past winter mean many of our local waters are still frozen and inaccessible. 

Shore fishing looks good in some spots such as Twin Lakes out of Bridgeport, and the boats are in the water at Convict Lake Resort. While these lakes are not completely ice-free, the warm weather pattern over the next few days is expected to help move them along. 

The Mammoth Lakes Basin is still closed and bound by snow and places such as Silver Lake on the June Lake Loop will have its store, cafe and cabins open but are still waiting for more thawing on the lake. The June Lake Loop, however, is fully open as of April 26! 

Please make sure to reach out directly to the location you are hoping to fish to confirm that they plan to be open when you arrive. Please be patient, be considerate and kind when visiting the area, as fishing spots may be a little more crowded than usual, at least for a little while. 

In the case of many of our other lakes, please do not make any Herculean efforts to try to hike to snowbound areas and please avoid ice fishing at this time. Conditions are variable everywhere due to the warm temperatures and you don’t know where you might fall through either element. 

Even though it’s going to be a little while before spring really takes off, there is still plenty to do in the Eastern Sierra. 
 
Remember that weather can be variable, which just adds to the adventure. Prep with clothing layers and hot chocolate (or something stronger) at the ready in case Mother Nature throws us a curveball.
 
At the end of your day, warm up or cool down at one of the many restaurants, bars or coffee shops in town. 

In addition to fishing spots being slow to open this year, most campgrounds in our area are still closed due to snow. Currently there are no USFS campgrounds available in Mono County, and dispersed camping is not an option due to inaccessible roads. Mammoth Mountain RV Park does, however, offer year-round camping when spots are available.
 
Keep an eye on recreation.gov for campground updates and touch base with local visitor centers, such as the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, for the most up-to-date information. Whatever you do, please plan ahead and do not attempt to go around road closures.
 
You can also treat yourself to one of the wonderful lodging properties in the area. Please secure a place to stay before you visit.