Marie Louise Lakes Fishing

John Muir Wilderness - Inyo County

Less than 2 miles up the trail from South Lake are the quiet Marie Louise Lakes. Just off the main hiking trail leading up over Bishop Pass into Kings Canyon National Park, Marie Louise Lakes see few visitors. They are easy to overlook. But the fishing is great for pan size trout that are eager to snap up your fly.

Situated in the John Muir Wilderness, Marie Louise Lakes are sheltered by light forest and granite cliffs. Off in the distance 12,000-foot Chocolate Peak glistens in the clear morning light. While the lower lake offers a variety of fishing locations and challenges, it is the unassuming upper lake that will keep you busy. These lakes make a great place to bring children anxious to catch their first fish.

South Lake

Sidetrips

There are a dozen other lakes sprinkled about the area, many of them looking very promising. Among them are Chocolate Lakes and Treasure Lakes.

Other Featured Trips near South Lake

Bull Lake - Just a short hop from Marie Louise Lakes, good fishing and some scenic campsites
Baboon Lakes - beautiful lakes to explore, days of good fishing
Hungry Packer Lake - an incredibly beautiful lake high in the Sabrina Basin with rewarding fishing
Bottleneck Lake - for adventurous anglers, this lake is a superb destination, cross-country and uphill, but worth the effort

Upper Marie Louise Lake

In My Creel

#16 Blue Olive Parachute
#16 gnat
#16 Adams Parachute
#16 Red Quill
#16 tan Elk Hair Caddis
#16 Adams

Smaller flies worked the best. The fish in the upper lake didn't seem to care what I tossed their way, they were eager to strike.

Recommended Books, Lures, and Flies for Fishing the John Muir Wilderness

Fly Fishing Eastern Sierra Streams Where to Go, What to Use, and How to Get There, Mike Brown. Great book detailing the best streams in the Eastern Sierra. Color Photographs.
California's Best Fly Fishing: Premier Streams and Rivers from Northern California to the Eastern Sierra, Chip O'Brien. An up-to-date guidebook, complete with maps, detailed descriptions of fishing locations, analysis of the seasonal differences which affect fishing, and fly patterns.
Panther Martin Pro Guide Anywhere 6 Pack Great trout lures almost guaranteed to catch fish.
Flies Direct Elk Hare Caddis Olive Assortment Trout Fishing Flies (1-Dozen) Hand-Tied By Professionals Who Take Great Pride In Their Craftsmanship.

Hurd Lake

Weir Pond

Sierra Fishing Destinations

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Making Your Way to Marie Louise Lakes

The trail to Marie Louise Lakes begins at South Lake, a 20-mile drive east from Bishop on Highway 395 in the Eastern Sierra. The Weir Pond just below South Lake is a popular fly fishing destination, as are the South Fork of Bishop Creek and South Lake itself.

The trail sets out along the south shore of South Lake for a short distance, climbing steadily. Then it swings south and continues to climb. I made the mistake of cutting over to little Hurd Lake to test out the fishing, but I saw nothing there. However, maybe someone else will have better luck than I did. And the lake is pretty enough to make a little side-trek worthwhile. There is no marked trail to Hurd Lake, but by using Hurd Peak as your signpost, you can pretty easily pick your way there. I did stumble on a use-trail.

The trail to Marie Louise Lakes turns off the main trail after hiking about a mile and a third from South Lake. There is an obvious sign. The trail dips across a creek and then climbs up a stiff rise to the lakes. The entire hike was about an 800-foot climb, 1.75 miles.

As I mentioned above, it was the upper lake that was teeming with fish. Parts of the shoreline are a little marshy, but nothing to deter you. The lower lake was good fishing also, but required a little more effort. The fish I caught were all brook trout, none big enough to brag about. For me, it was catch and release.

Lodging and Camping

There are possible backpacking campsites near the lower lake and between the two lakes, but they are so close to South Lake it hardly makes sense to backpack unless you are planning to continue deeper into the wilderness.

There are a number of resorts in the Bishop Creek drainage below South Lake and its neighbor, Sabrina Lake. Among them are Bishop Creek Lodge, Cardinal Village Resort, and Parchers Resort by South Lake. Campgrounds abound along Bishop Creek: Sabrina Campground, Forks Campground, Bitterbrush Campground, Big Trees Campground, and others. Dispersed camping is not allowed along Bishop Creek.

California's Best Camping

For complete information about campgrounds around South Lake and along Bishop Creek, see

Fishing Supplies

On your way to the Marie Louise Lakes, you can pick up fishing supplies at the following places:

Parchers Resort, South Lake
Lake Sabrina Boat Landing
Brock's Flyfishing Specialists, Bishop
Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop, Bishop
Culvers Sporting Goods, Bishop
High Sierra Tackle, Bishop

High Sierra Trails