Photo of Dollar Lake and Fin Dome, Kings Canyon National Park, CA

Fresno County Fishing

Dave's Sierra Fishing


Fresno County Fishing

Fresno County includes so much great High Sierra fishing that it could keep the most avid angler moving from stream to lake for years and years without ever fishing the same place twice. The county includes much of Kings Canyon National Park and most of the John Muir Wilderness.

Lower down, Fresno County encompasses such popular fishing lakes and reservoirs as Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Millerton Lake, and half of Pine Flat Reservoir. In the high country fishing is popular at Lake Edison, Florence Lake, Courtright Reservoir, and Wishon Reservoir. Naturally I like to get off the beaten trail and find the less often visited places in Fresno County to do my fishing. And there's no shortage of great destinations in Fresno County.

The California record Golden Trout was caught in Fresno County. Can you guess from which lake it was taken? (answer below)

Photo of Rae Lakes, Kings Canyon National Park, California

Rae Lakes

Bear Creek

  • Near Lake Edison
  • Miles of deep pools, riffles, and tumbling cascades
  • Day trip or backpack

Evolution Valley

  • One of most scenic spots in the Sierra
  • Miles of lively creek fishing
  • Backpack in northern Kings Canyon

Fourth Recess Lake

  • Dramatic hike over Mono Pass to remote lake
  • 1½ miles of shoreline, lake rich with trout
  • Close to Pioneer Basin

Graveyard Lakes

  • 10,000' in Ansel Adams Wilderness
  • A cluster of lakes offering varied and rewarding fishing
  • 8 miles from Lake Edison

Lake 10315

  • An incredible lake known only by its elevation
  • Deep in Kings Canyon National Park
  • Rarely visited, rarely fished

Rose Lake

  • At 10,500' deep in John Muir Wilderness
  • Great backpack up Bear Creek
  • Many lakes nearby, inviting stream fishing

Sandpiper Lake

  • A beautiful lake deep in John Muir Wilderness
  • Access to other nearby lakes
  • Part of a backpacking fishing trip up Bear Creek

South Fork San Joaquin River

  • Near Florence Lake
  • Miles of great fishing along riffles and pools
  • Flows beside John Muir Trail

Bear Creek, Fresno County, California

Bear Creek


Recommended Books, Lures, and Flies for Fishing Fresno County



Kings Canyon National Park

There are three main trailhead centers on the western side of the Sierra that I use for Kings Canyon National Park: Cedar Grove, Courtright Reservoir, and Florence Lake.

Cedar Grove is the gateway to dozens of great fishing destinations. For day trips you can hike up the Kings River toward Mist Falls, fishing along the way. Up the Bubbs Creek trail you can do multi-day backpack trips to East Lake, Charlotte Lake, and Sphinx Lakes, fishing the creeks along the way in-between. Or you can head up the Paradise Valley trail and spend several days there seeking out the less popular fishing holes. Hearty hikers could try the Granite Basin trail and drop over the pass into the Middle Fork of the Kings country. Others make the popular Rae Lakes Loop, which includes Dollar Lake and Fin Dome shown in our masthead photo.


High Sierra Trails

Hungry Packer Lake, Sabrina Basin, California

Hungry Packer Lake, Sabrina Basin

High Sierra Trails website logo


Courtright and Florence Lakes Trailheads

From Courtright Reservoir you can follow trails through the John Muir Wilderness and into Kings Canyon over Hell For Sure Pass, but you run the risk of becoming so enamored with the Blackcap Basin in the John Muir Wilderness that you might never go any farther.

Leaving from Florence Lake you enter the north end of Kings Canyon National Park, soon reaching the spectacular Evolution Valley, one of our featured trips. Or you could veer off up Goddard Canyon or make your way up Piute Creek to try your luck fishing for golden trout.

John Muir Wilderness

Blackcap Basin, mentioned above, and its neighboring Red Mountain Basin are dotted with beautiful lakes which make great fishing destinations. From Lake Edison or nearby Bear Creek Diversion Dam you can follow trails up to the high country north of Kings Canyon. I have included a number of destinations in that area among our featured trips, including Fourth Recess Lake, Bear Creek, Rose Lake, and Sandpiper Lake.

Fresno County Campground Highlights

Wonderful mountain campgrounds are found around the big lakes along Highway 168 and across Kaiser Pass. Among the most popular destinations are at Shaver Lake and Huntington Lake. Unfortunately, the 2020 Creek Fire damaged some campgrounds in the area.

More campgrounds are available in Kings Canyon National Park at Grant Grove and Cedar Grove. Campsites at Cedar Grove give easy access for anglers to explore miles of the South Fork Kings River.

California's Best Camping

For complete information about campgrounds throughout Fresno County, see

California's Best Camping website logo

California Record
Golden Trout

The California record golden trout (9 lbs. 8 oz.) was taken from Silver Lake in Fresno County in 1952.


Fishing Supplies

On your way to fishing destinations in Fresno County, you can pick up fishing supplies at

  • Fisherman's Warehouse, 4320 W. Shaw Ave, Fresno
  • California Bait and Tackle, 4516 E. Belmont Ave, Fresno
  • Sportman's Warehouse, 1650 W Visalia Pkwy, Visalia
  • Valley Rod and Gun, 2704 Clovis Ave., Clovis
  • Friant Trading Post, 17142 N. Friant, Friant
  • Sierra Anglers, 700 McHenry Ave., Modesto
  • Shaver Lake Marina, Shaver Lake