The Eastern Sierra is the most productive stocked trout corridor in California. Highway 395 runs the length of it, and within an hour's drive of that highway you have access to dozens of lakes and streams that CDFW plants heavily from late May through October. The fish are bigger on average than what you find at lower-elevation urban lakes, the scenery is better, and the bite is often strongest right at camp. This guide covers the top stocking destinations from Bridgeport south to Bishop, with elevation, access notes, and what each water typically receives.
Bridgeport Reservoir
Bridgeport is one of the largest trout lakes in the Eastern Sierra at roughly 4,400 surface acres. CDFW plants rainbow trout here regularly through the season, and the reservoir also holds a strong population of naturally reproducing brown trout that can exceed 5 pounds. The dam end and the inlet area near Virginia Creek tend to be the most productive for shore anglers. PowerBait in chartreuse or pink, fished off the bottom in 8 to 15 feet of water, accounts for most stocked rainbows. Brown trout in Bridgeport respond well to large Kastmaster spoons (3/8 oz, gold or rainbow) worked near drop-offs at dusk.
Water levels at Bridgeport fluctuate significantly, and in drought years the lake can draw down substantially by late summer. Check conditions before making the drive from the south.
Twin Lakes (Bridgeport)
Not to be confused with Twin Lakes near Mammoth, the Bridgeport Twin Lakes sit just above the town of Bridgeport. Upper and Lower Twin are both planted by CDFW, with Lower Twin receiving the larger share of stocking. A campground on the lower lake gives direct bank access, and the inlet between the two lakes concentrates fish. Rainbows are the primary stocked species, with some browns mixed in. Rooster Tail spinners in yellow/red work well at the inlet, and PowerBait covers the rest of the bank.
June Lake Loop
The June Lake Loop (Highway 158) circles four connected lakes: Grant Lake, Silver Lake, June Lake, and Gull Lake. All four receive CDFW stockings, though the frequency and size of plants differ.
Grant Lake is the largest and the most exposed to wind. It holds the best trophy potential for browns, but the bank fishing is less productive than the other loop lakes. Trolling produces most of the larger fish.
Silver Lake has a resort with a pier and good bank access on the south shore. Stocked rainbows hold near the inlet creek and around the rocky points. Small orange or gold Kastmasters and PowerBait both work consistently.
June Lake itself is the most popular of the four, with a developed waterfront and easy bank access all around. CDFW plants it regularly. Rainbows show up fast after a plant, and the shallower west shore is productive in mornings and evenings. Salmon egg clusters on a #14 hook, fished under a small bobber, is the classic June Lake setup.
Gull Lake is the smallest lake on the loop and gets lighter stocking, but the fish per acre density can be high. It fishes well on a float with nightcrawlers.
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Set Up AlertsConvict Lake
Convict Lake is arguably the best all-around stocked trout lake in the Eastern Sierra. It covers about 170 acres, sits in a dramatic glacial cirque surrounded by peaks topping 12,000 feet, and receives some of the most consistent CDFW plants in the region. Both rainbow and brown trout are stocked, and holdover browns push into double digits in good years.
The inlet at the east end of the lake is the prime shore fishing location after a plant. Rainbows stack up near the flowing water and respond to PowerBait in orange or yellow, salmon egg clusters, and small inline spinners. Brown trout tend to hold deeper during the day and move shallow near the rocky north shore at dusk. A 1/4 oz gold Kastmaster retrieved slowly through 10 to 20 feet of water accounts for a lot of the bigger fish.
Convict Lake Resort operates a boat rental concession if you want to troll the deeper water in the center of the lake. Full camping and a store are available on site.
Rock Creek
Rock Creek Road climbs out of the town of Tom's Place and accesses a string of lakes and streams up to Rock Creek Lake at 9,682 feet. The creek itself is planted along much of its length, with fish going in at multiple access points from the campgrounds up to the pack station. Both rainbow and brown trout go into Rock Creek, and the browns tend to run a bit larger.
The creek fishes best with small Panther Martin spinners (1/16 oz, gold body with yellow spots) or single salmon eggs on a #16 hook with minimal weight. Fish the seams where fast water meets slower pools, especially below any log or boulder structure. Early morning is the most productive time before foot traffic in the canyon increases.
Rock Creek Lake at the top of the drainage gets its own plant schedule and is a reliable destination in its own right. Campground sites with direct lake access are available nearby.
Bishop Creek (North, Middle, and South Forks)
Bishop Creek drains from a series of high-elevation lakes through three main forks, and CDFW stocks all three. The total stocking volume for the Bishop Creek corridor makes it one of the most productive trout destinations on the 395.
South Lake at 9,755 feet is the highest of the major bishop creek access lakes and one of the most popular. It receives consistent rainbow and brown trout plants and fishes well from the dam and inlet. Lake Sabrina on the Middle Fork sits at 9,128 feet and holds good numbers of planted rainbows along with some wild brown trout from the inlet. North Lake, at 9,258 feet, is smaller and receives lighter stocking but tends to hold more solitude.
All three forks of the creek itself are planted between the lakes and the Highway 168 junction. The campgrounds along South Fork Road have creek access within steps of most sites.
Mammoth Lakes Basin
The Mammoth Lakes basin contains five linked lakes: Twin Lakes, Lake Mary, Lake George, Lake Mamie, and Horseshoe Lake. All receive CDFW plants, with Lake Mary and Twin Lakes getting the heaviest stocking volumes. This is the most accessible high-elevation trout fishery in the region, with paved roads to every lake and multiple campgrounds with walk-in bank access.
Lake Mary is the largest in the basin and the most heavily stocked. Rainbows go in regularly from late May into October. Bank fishing from the south shore near the boat launch is consistently productive right after a plant. PowerBait in salmon pink or yellow is the standard choice, fished on a sliding sinker rig in 8 to 15 feet.
Twin Lakes is actually two connected lakes at the upper end of the basin road. The lower lake takes most of the angling pressure and produces well on PowerBait and spinners. The upper lake tends to have smaller fish but less competition for bank spots.
Lake George and Lake Mamie receive lighter stocking but can fish well, especially in morning hours when the larger Mary crowds have not yet arrived. Horseshoe Lake at the top of the basin road has been subject to CO2 gas seeping from old volcanic activity, which has killed trees along the shore. Fishing is still allowed, but the dead forest zone is visually striking. Stocking continues here when water conditions allow.
Planning the Drive
Most Eastern Sierra lakes are accessible from late May or early June, depending on snow year. Highway 395 itself stays open year-round, but the side roads to the lakes can close into June after heavy snow winters. CDFW typically starts Sierra stocking once roads open and continues through October. Planting frequency peaks in July and August.
The Fish Stocking Alert data view lets you filter by Mono and Inyo counties to see exactly which lakes have been planted recently before committing to the drive from Southern California or the Bay Area. A three-hour drive is worth it; a three-hour drive to a lake that was last stocked six weeks ago is avoidable.
For more on the species you might catch in Sierra lakes, the California trout species guide covers rainbow, brown, brook, and golden trout identification and behavior in detail.