Combining mileage figures from the popular Far Out PCT Mapping App with research gleaned from trusted sources on the internet, enabled me to create this semi-exhaustive list of Trout Fishing information useful for both PCT Hikers and Sierra Anglers in general. There are more than 1000 lakes, creeks, and rivers in the Sierra Nevada, so I felt that there was a need to winnow that vastness down to a size that would be useful to backpacking fly fishermen and Pacific Crest Trail Hikers such as myself.
It took me most of a day to compile this list (plus another to format it for this blog) but it was worth it! I successfully used it on my 500 mile PCT Sierra Section Hike in 2024. I can’t say that I caught trout at all of these spots, but many of them checked out as valid, though not all. I include here numerous lakes that are just off the PCT itself, some on side trails, and others that require a bit of cross-country hiking. Done properly, one could easily spend an entire Summer Season backpacking and fishing within the Sierra Nevada, provided that breaks were taken every so often to resupply with supplementary foods. For Man Does Not Live On Fish Alone! Not to mention the ever-present need to buy more fishing gear! Taking a shower and doing laundry is optional, but strongly recommended!
Email me if you want a pdf copy of the list, or the excel file. Or to let me know if you find an error. Enjoy! I also hiked the JMT in 2025, and created a subset of this data specifically for the John Muir Trail.
References:
Eastern Sierra Back Country Fishing Guide – Mono County
Fly Fishing the Sierra (great maps and discussion) Please give them a donation!
Far Out Guides (purchase the PCT Sierra Section to use this list – yes, it’s worth the $9.99)
CalTopo Map that I created to go with this guide, showing the PCT, passes, and side trails
NOTE: California Dept of Fish and Wildlife regulations apply to these backcountry lakes/creeks:
Bag Limit: 5 fish per day, 10 in Possession, no size restrictions
Brook Trout below 10 inches: 10 fish per day (they compete with other trout)
You can fish all year long in the High Sierra Lakes and Ponds.
For creeks and streams, Open Fishing Season begins the last Saturday in April and ends November 15th
Areas with Special Fishing Regulations are very rare along the PCT corridor, and are posted with signs.
Yes, you must have a CDFW Fishing License in your possession at all times!
Annual cost (2024-25): $62 for CA Residents, $166 for non-residents. They also have 1,2, and 10 day options.
The left column shows the Far Out app’s mileage when heading northbound (NOBO) from the Mexican Border.
The center column shows the name of the body of water
The right column shows the type of trout (or lack of trout) in that water.
Many entries indicate side trails and off-trail lakes worthy (or unworthy) of interest to anglers.
The “Sierra Grand Slam” is when you catch a Brown, Brookie, Rainbow, and Golden in one day!
Bigfoot’s PCT Sierra Trout Fishing Guide
| Mile | Lake, Creek, etc. | Trout Type |
| 699-708 | South Fork Kern River | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids |
| 718 | South Fork Kern River Bridge | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids |
| 746 | side trail to Golden Trout Creek | Goldens |
| side trail to Cottonwood Lakes | Goldens (special regulations) | |
| 751 | Side trail to Whitney Meadow | Goldens in SF Kern River |
| 752 | Chicken Spring Lake | Fishless?? |
| 761-762 | Rock Creek | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids |
| side trail to Sky Blue Lake | Goldens | |
| 763 | Guyot Creek | Fishless near PCT |
| 768 | Mount Whitney Trail | |
| Whitney Creek | Goldens up to 10″ in Crabtree Meadow | |
| Timberline/Hitchcock/Guitar Lakes | Goldens | |
| side trail to Crabtree Lakes | Goldens very large! | |
| east side Whitney Zone trail | Rainbows | |
| 772 | Wallace Creek | Goldens 6-8″ |
| off-trail to Wallace Lake (3.5 miles) | large Goldens | |
| 773 | Wright Creek | Goldens 6-8″ |
| off-trail to Wright Lakes | Goldens and Rainbows 12-13″ | |
| off-trail to East Wright Lakes | Fishless | |
| 774 | Bighorn Lake | Fishless?? |
| 776 | Tyndall Creek | Brookies and Goldens bigger downstream |
| side trail to Lake South America | Goldens and Rainbows – big! | |
| side trail to upper Kern River | Rainbows | |
| 779 | lakes below Forester Pass | Fishless |
| off-trail lake east of Diamond Mesa | Goldens and Rainbows to 12″ | |
| 782 | Lake north of Forester Pass | Fishless |
| 785-788 | Bubbs Creek above Vidette Meadow | Goldens |
| center basin area of Bubbs Creek | Fishless | |
| 788-789 | Bubbs Creek at/below Vidette Meadow | Browns and Rainbows |
| 789 | west of PCT East Lake | Rainbows/Brookies |
| west of PCT Lake Reflection | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 12″ | |
| 790 | Kearsarge Pass Trail | |
| Bullfrog Lake | Brookies | |
| Kearsarge Lakes | Brookies | |
| Big Pothole Lake | Brookies | |
| Heart Lake | Rainbows/Brookies | |
| Flower Lake Gilbert Lake | Brookies/Browns | |
| Little Pothole Lake | Brookies | |
| 790 | side trail to Charlotte Lake | Rainbows/Brookies up to 12″ |
| 792 | Lake south of Glen Pass | Brookies 6-8″ |
| 794 | Rae Lakes 1&2 | Brookies 7-9″ |
| side trail to Sixty Lakes Basin | upper Fishless lower Rainbows Goldens | |
| 795 | off-trail Dragon Lake | Brookies 4-6″ |
| 796 | Lower Rae Lake #3 | Rainbows/Brookies to 10″ |
| 796 | Arrowhead Lake | Brookies 6-8″ Rainbows 10″ |
| 797 | Dollar Lake | Brookies Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 10-12″ |
| 797 | side trail to Baxter Lakes | Brookies to 12″ |
| 798-801 | South Fork Woods Creek | Browns/Rainbows 6-8+” |
| 801-804 | Woods Creek below Twin Lakes | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 8-9″ and up |
| 805 | Sawmill Pass Trail to Woods Lake | Brookies 8-10″ to 13″! |
| 806 | off-trail east to Twin Lakes | Brookies – lower 7-9″ upper 10-12″ |
| 810 | Lake Marjorie and nearby lakes | skinny Brookies 8-10″ |
| 811 | side trail to Bench Lake | Browns 10-14″ Rainbows 8-11″ |
| 810-813 | possible Sierra Grand Slam near here | Brookies, Browns, Rainbows, Goldens |
| 813 | South Fork Kings River | Goldens in river |
| 813-816 | SF Kings River & Upper Basin | Goldens in river |
| 817 | east of Mather Pass Lake 11597 | Goldens |
| 821 | Palisade Lakes 1&2 | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 7-10″ |
| 822 | Palisade Creek below lakes | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 7″ |
| 824-829 | Palisade Creek below Staircase | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 7″ |
| 825 | off-trail Palisade Basin Barrett Lakes | Fishless |
| 825 | off-trail Amphitheater Lake | Fishless |
| 829-831 | Middle Fork Kings River | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 4-7″ |
| 830 | Grouse Meadow | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 4-7″ |
| 832 | Bishop Pass Trail | |
| Dusy Creek and Rainbow Lakes | Golden Hybrids small | |
| Dusy Basin and Lake 11393 | Golden Hybrids 5-11″ to 14″ | |
| Bishop Lake and Saddlerock Lake | Brookies | |
| Timberline Tarns | Rainbows/Brookies | |
| Margaret Lake (west of Spearhead Lake) | Brookies | |
| Spearhead Lake | Brookies | |
| Ruwau Lake side trail | Rainbows to 16″ and Brookies | |
| South Fork Bishop Creek | Brookies | |
| Long Lake | Brookies 8-10″ Rainbows 12″ Browns large! | |
| Chocolate Lake | Brookies | |
| Bull Lake | Rainbows | |
| Marie-Louise Lakes | Brookies 7-12″ | |
| Hurd Lake | Rainbows | |
| South Lake | stocked with Rainbows | |
| Treasure Lakes 1&2 | Golden Hybrids but may now be Fishless | |
| 832-836 | Le Conte Canyon (MF Kings River) | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 4-7″ |
| 839 | Helen Lake | Fishless |
| 841 | Wanda Lake & Lake McDermand | Fishless |
| 843 | Sapphire Lake | Goldens 7-10″ |
| 845 | Evolution Lake | Goldens 7-10″ |
| 847-853 | Evolution Creek | Goldens 8-10 better upstream |
| 848 | Colby Meadow | Goldens 8-10 |
| 850 | McClure Meadow | Goldens 8-10 |
| 852 | Evolution Meadow | Goldens 8-10 |
| 854 | South Fork San Joaquin River | Browns |
| 857 | Piute Pass Trail | |
| Piute Creek | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 8-9” | |
| Golden Trout Lake | Goldens | |
| Desolation Lake | Goldens | |
| Piute Lake | Brookies/Rainbows | |
| Loch Leven | Brookies/Rainbows | |
| North Lake | Brookies/Rainbows | |
| 857-859 | South Fork San Joaquin River | Browns to 14″ near MTR |
| 859 | side trail to Florence Lake (MTR) | heavily fished and stocked |
| 863 | Senger Creek | Goldens 5-8″ upstream of PCT |
| 865 | Sallie Keyes Lakes | Goldens 8-10″ to 12″ |
| 866 | Heart Lake | Goldens 8-10″ to 12″ |
| 867 | Marie Lake | was large Goldens now Brookies 12-15″ |
| 869 | side trail to Rose Lake | Goldens 10-12″ |
| 869 | side trail to Lou Beverly Lake | Goldens to 18″! |
| 870-74 | Bear Creek | mostly Brookies |
| upper branches of Bear Creek | Goldens | |
| 870 | side trail to Seven Gables Lakes | Goldens |
| 872 | side trail to Hilgard Branch and Lake Italy | Goldens |
| 874 | side trail to VVR along Bear Creek | Brookies |
| 876 | Bear Ridge Trail to Lake Edison | stocked lake |
| 880 | Mono Creek | Browns 8-10” near PCT |
| 881 | Mono Pass Trail | Sierra Grand Slam potential |
| Mono Creek downstream near PCT | Browns 8-10” | |
| Mono Creek Headwaters | Brookies/Rainbows | |
| Pioneer Basin | Brookies/Goldens | |
| Third Recess Lake | Rainbows | |
| Fourth Recess Lake | Brookies/Rainbows | |
| Golden Lake | large Goldens | |
| Summit Lake | Fishless | |
| 881-883 | North Fork Mono Creek | Golden/Rainbow Hybrids 10-12” |
| 886 | Silver Pass Lake and creek | Goldens |
| 887 | Chief Lake – Papoose Lake | Brookies 6-8″ |
| Lake of Lone Indian | Brookies 6-8″ | |
| Squaw Lake – Warrior Lake | Brookies and small Rainbows | |
| side trail to Wilbur May Lake | planted Rainbows 12-13″ Brookies 8-10″ | |
| 890 | Fish Creek to Tully Hole | Brookies and Rainbows |
| 893 | Lake Virginia | Goldens large |
| 895 | Purple Lake | Rainbows Brookies Golden Hybrids |
| 897 | Duck Pass Trail | |
| Arrowhead Lake | Brookies Kamloop Rainbows 10-13″ | |
| Skelton Lake | Brookies | |
| Barney Lake Red Lake | Brookies | |
| Woods Lakes | lower Brookies upper Rainbows | |
| Duck Lake Pika Lake | Rainbows and Brookies some large | |
| 905 | Mammoth Pass Trail | All lakes last Sat. April thru Nov 15 |
| McCloud Lake | Cutthroats, zero limit, barbless hooks | |
| Horseshoe Lake | Fishless | |
| Lake Mamie | Rainbows Brookies Browns | |
| Lake Mary | Rainbows Brookies Browns | |
| 909 | Middle Fork San Joaquin River | Sierra Grand Slam potential |
| Middle Fork San Joaquin by Postpile | Browns | |
| side trail to Sotcher Lake | Browns Brookies Rainbows | |
| 910 | Alternate Route via John Muir Trail | |
| Minaret Creek | Rainbows Brookies | |
| Trinity Lakes | Rainbows | |
| off trail Emily Lake | Rainbows | |
| off trail Lois Lake | Rainbows Brookies | |
| Gladys Lake | Rainbows | |
| Rosalie Lake | Rainbows | |
| Shadow Lake and Creek | Rainbows Brookies | |
| side trail to Ediza and Iceberg Lakes | Rainbows/Brookies and Brookies | |
| Garnet Lake | Rainbows and Brookies some to 14″ | |
| Ruby Lake | Rainbows but I saw nothing at dawn | |
| Emerald Lake | Rainbows 7-9″ possibly Fishless?? | |
| 912 | MF San Joaquin River upper region | Golden Hybrids |
| 922 | Agnew Pass Trail to Clark Lakes | Brookies no more Goldens |
| 923 | Badger Lakes | Golden Hybrids |
| 924 | Thousand Island Lake | Rainbows and Brookies some to 14″ |
| 927 | Rush Creek Trail | Brookies in the creek |
| Waugh Lake (drained often) | Brookies | |
| off-trail to Weber Lake | Brookies | |
| Gem Lake | Rainbows Brookies | |
| Agnew Lake | Rainbows Brookies | |
| 928 | side trail to Marie Lakes | Rainbows |
| 935-942 | Lyell Fork Tuolumne River | Brookies (upper) Browns Rainbows |
| 943 | Dana Fork Tuolumne River | Brookies (upper) Browns Rainbows |
| 943-950 | Upper Tuolumne River | Rainbows Browns Brookies |
| 950 | Side trail Grand Canyon Tuolumne | Rainbows Browns Brookies |
| 956 | Side Trail McCabe Lakes | only upper McCabe still has fish |
| 957 | Return Creek | Rainbows 8-10″ |
| 961 | Miller Lake | Fishless |
| 963 | Matterhorn Creek | Brookies 5-9″ |
| 964-967 | Wilson Creek | Brookies below 9000 feet |
| 970 | Smedberg Lake | Rainbows 12-14″ up to 16″! |
| off-trail Sister and Surprise Lakes | Fishless | |
| off-trail more Tallulah Lake and Doe Lake | Rainbows | |
| 971 | side trail to Rodgers Lake | Rainbows 12″ |
| 974 | Benson Lake | Rainbows up to 20″ on western shore! |
| 976 | Small Lake and nearby tarns | Fishless?? |
| 977-981 | Kerrick Creek/Rancheria Creek | small Rainbows |
| 984 | Stubblefield Creek | small Rainbows |
| 987 | Small Lakes | Fishless |
| 988 | Wilma Lake | Rainbows 12-14″ |
| 990 | side trail to Tilden Lake | Rainbows 12-14″ up to 17″! |
| off-trail from Tilden to Mary Lake | Goldens 12-16″ | |
| 993 | Falls Creek | Rainbows 6-8″ |
| 998 | Dorothy Lake | Rainbows 12-14″ to 18″ on north shore |
| off-trail Ruth, Helen, and Stella Lakes | all Fishless | |
| off-trail Cora Lake | Brookies Rainbows | |
| 1000 | Lake Harriet and nearby Bonnie Lake | Brookies Rainbows |
| 1002 | side trail to Cinko Lake | Brookies Rainbows |
| 1004 | side trail to Long Lakes, Fremont Lake | Rainbows |
| 1010 | side trail to Leavitt Lake | Brookies Rainbows |
| 1018 | Kennedy Lake from KM North | Browns to 17”, creek is stocked |
| 1023-27 | East Fork Carson River | Closed to Fishing – Lahontan Cutthroats |
| 1042 | side trial to Wolf Creek | Rainbows 8-11” |
| 1042 | Asa Lake | Fishless – tadpoles only |
| 1045 | Noble Lake | Fishless?? Saw none rising |
| 1050 | Ebbetts Pass, road to Kinney Reservoir | stocked Rainbows Brookies |
| road to Upper and Lower Kinney Lake | stocked Lahontan/Rainbow Hybrids 10-15″ | |
| 1063 | Sunset Lakes | Lahontan Cutthroats Brookies |
| 1064 | Lily Pad Lake | Fishless?? Saw none rising |
| 1066 | Tamarack Lake | Lahontan Cutthroats |
| 1067 | Blue Lakes Road to Blue Lakes | Rainbows Brookies Lahontan Cutthroats |
| side trail 3 miles to Evergreen Lake | Lahontan Cutthroats | |
| side trail 2 more miles Twin Lake | Lahontan Cutthroats | |
| 1071 | Lost Lake and Upper Blue Lake Road | Lahontan Cutthroats |
| 1076 | side trail to Winnemucca Lake | Brookies 8-12″ and Kamloop Rainbows |
| 1077 | Frog Lake | Rainbows to 16″ – But I saw zero fish |
| 1078 | Carson Pass road to Red Lake | Lahontan Cutthroats Brookies 10-15″ |
| 1079-82 | Upper Truckee River | barbless hooks, zero limit – Cutthroats |
| 1083 | Showers Lake | Rainbows, Lake Trout |
| 1093-95 | Echo Lake | Rainbows Brookies Lahontan Cutthroats |
| 1097 | side trail to Tamarack and Ralston Lakes | Brookies but will be Fishless soon |
| 1098 | side trail to Lake of the Woods | Brookies Rainbows up to 17″ |
| 1099 | Lake Marjery and Lake Lucille | Fishless – has frogs now |
| 1100 | Lake Aloha | Brookies Rainbows |
| 1101 | side trail to Clyde Lake | Fishless |
| 1102 | Heather Lake | Brookies Browns to 17″ Rainbows |
| 1103 | Susie Lake | Brookies Rainbows Browns Rocky Points |
| 1105 | Gilmore Lake | Lake Trout Brookies Browns Rainbows |
| side trail to Half Moon Lake | Brookies Rainbows with shallow shoreline | |
| 1109 | Dicks Lake | Brookies Rainbows |
| 1110 | Fontanillis Lake | Brookies Rainbows |
| 1111 | side trail to Upper Velma Lake | Brookies Rainbows |
| off-trail to Lower Velma Lake | Brookies Rainbows Browns | |
| 1111 | Middle Velma Lake | Rainbows to 15″ |
| 1112 | Tahoe-Yosemite Trail | |
| Rubicon Lake | Brookies Rainbows | |
| Stony Ridge Lake | Brookies Browns Rainbows | |
| Hidden Lake | Brookies Rainbows Cutthroats | |
| Crag Lake | Brookies Rainbows Browns | |
| Lake Genevieve | Brookies | |
| 1119 | Richardson Lake | Brookies |
| 1119 | side trail to Miller Lake and Lily Lake | Brookies |
| 1137 | side trail to Five Lakes | Rainbows in largest Brookies in others |
| 1154 | Donner Summit area Lake Mary | Rainbows |
| 1154 | road walk to Donner Lake | Rainbows Browns Lake Trout |
Up to Pacific Crest Trail
hikingtales.com 