Top Lake is a lake in California, near El Dorado County.
Top Lake is a lake in El Dorado County, California and covers about 3.4 acres.
The small size of Top Lake makes quiet casts and short moves more useful than carrying a pile of tackle.
Fish listed for Top Lake include Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Rainbow Trout.
While looking for rainbow trout on Top Lake, cast a small spoon, inline spinner, light jig, or fly through cool water.
Start the brown trout search on Top Lake by trying to work a small minnow bait, spoon, or streamer along cool breaks and moving water.
Start where two things meet: weeds and open water, rock and mud, a point and a drop, or clear water and dirty water; fish that edge at more than one depth before leaving it; fish one point at two depths, then return to productive water when light changes.
Early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again; check a protected pocket, then keep the presentation close to useful cover.
A light spinning rod, thin line, a few small spoons, inline spinners, and jigs cover the listed trout; carry one slightly heavier setup when other fish or windy water call for more control; keep line light around small clear-water fish; work an old channel turn, then change retrieve speed before changing lures.
Record the wind, water color, depth near the strongest cover, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce; try deeper shade during summer afternoons, then add vibration in stained water.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.