Photo of Bubbs Creek canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, CA

Tulare County Fishing

Dave's Sierra Fishing


Tulare County Fishing

Tulare County includes most of Sequoia National Park, southern portions of Kings Canyon National Park, and adjoining Sequoia National Forest lands. Fishing opportunities are widely varied, mostly in rivers and streams such as the mighty Kern River and the several forks of the Kaweah and Tule rivers.

Visitors to Sequoia National Park find excellent fishing in the Kaweah River. The lower portions of the river around Three Rivers are fairly easy to reach by road. At higher elevations rugged hiking is sometimes required to reach the less-often fished portions of the Kaweah. One of our featured trips covers the popular Marble Fork easily reached by trail from Lodgepole in the heart of Sequoia National Park.

The long canyon of the Kern River offers many wonderful fishing experiences. Upstream from Lake Isabella anglers can access the river from the highway for miles. At higher elevations remote roads and trails provide access for anglers. In Sequoia National Park the Kern River flows through a deep U-shaped canyon with its headwaters west of Mount Whitney.

The Tule River east of Lake Success is easy to approach from Highway 190. Recent forest fires have damaged some portions of the watershed, but other areas were untouched.

Photo of Kern River, Tulare County, California

Kern River

Photo of upper Bubbs Creek

Bubbs Creek

  • Fish the wild upper Bubbs Creek in Kings Canyon
  • Backpack trip over Kearsarge Pass to base camp on Bubbs Creek
Photo of the Marble Fork Kaweah River, Sequoia National Park

Marble Fork Kaweah River

  • Camp in Sequoia along the Marble Fork
  • Fish upstream in pools and riffles
Photo of Twin Lakes, Sequoia National Park, CA

Twin Lakes

  • Fish for brook and rainbow trout.
  • Make a weekend backpack trip to the lakes

Kaweah River, Sequoia National Park, California

Kaweah River


High Sierra Trails

A Backpacker's Guide to the Most Spectacular Trails in the Sierra Nevada

High Sierra Trails website logo

Recommended Books, Lures, and Flies for Fishing Tulare County




Sequoia High Country Fishing

Adventurous anglers set out from the Crescent Meadow area of Sequoia National Park into the wilderness in search of remote fishing destinations. The rewards of fishing along mountain streams and pristine alpine lakes aren't measured by the number of fish landed.

Among these special places are stunning Hamilton Lakes, at an elevation of 8,234 feet. Surrounded by high granite peaks, the lakes are a popular stopping spot for those hiking the High Sierra Trail to Mt. Whitney. It takes most hikers two days to reach Hamilton Lakes. Although no longer stocked with fish, you can still catch rainbow, brook, and even golden trout in the lakes.

From a Wolverton trailhead, hikers set out on a trail that leads past Heather Lake, Aster Lake, and Emerald Lake before ending at Pear Lake (9,500'), 6 miles from Wolverton. Pear Lake and Emerald Lake hve brook trout, while Aster Lake has rainbows. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays in Sequoia's back-country.

Special Regulations for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

"In areas below 9,000 feet in elevation and more than one quarter of a mile from developed areas:
State fishing regulations apply to all species that may be taken, with the following exceptions: Rainbow Trout, Sacramento Sucker, Kern Rainbow, Sculpin, and Roach fish (i.e. native species of the park) must be released.
Artificial flies or lures with barb-less hooks are required."

See Fishing Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

Check current California Department of Fish and Wildlife for special regulations for the areas you plan to fish.

Tulare County Campground Highlights

Anglers exploring the lower portion of the Kern River, upstream from Lake Isabel, find a number of campgrounds along the river.

For anyone fishing the rivers and streams in Sequoia National Park, there are a number of campgrounds available both at low elevations near the southern park entrance and up in the heart of the park around Lodgepole Village.

In the Sequoia National Forest east of Porterville, good fishing is found in the Tule River. Campgrounds are scattered along the river branches, and a number of nice campgrounds are located in the Mountain Home area.

California's Best Camping

For complete information about campgrounds in Sequoia and beyond, see

California's Best Camping website logo

Fishing Supplies

On your way to fish the Tulare County high country, look for supplies at these places:

  • 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
  • Three Rivers Mercantile, 41152 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers
  • Village Market, 40869 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers
  • Lodgepole Village store
  • Grant Grove store