Kinney Lake, Upper Depth Map & Fishing Spots (CA)

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Lake depth chart

Kinney Lake, Upper, CA

Max 23 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun)Active window

Typical here: May 1 – Oct 1 · multi-brood; a documented midsummer lull when surface temps push fish deep

nymphthe hours before the midday emergence — nymphs rise off the weed tops in a vertical zigzag that can take hours — sources split between slow 2–4 inch strips with long pauses and a quicker steady retrieve; carry both speeds
dunmidday, roughly 11am into early afternoon
spinnermid-to-late-morning falls

Trout browse the weed-bed edges knocking nymphs loose, then cruise the flats sipping duns at midday — the marquee western lake mayfly.

The midday emergence puts cruisers over weed flats in under 20 ft: a casting bubble with a #14 Callibaetis nymph retrieved dead-slow with pauses is the honest match. Between hatch hours, small spoons and #1 inline spinners along the weed edges and drop-offs pick off the same fish.

The event happens over weed flats and weed-bed edges in 20 ft of water or less

Chironomids (stillwater midges)Active window

Typical here: Apr 25 – Oct 31 · end of April to the end of October at Crowley — the main food source for the entire season

nymphearly morning, start of the day — fish the bloodworm ON the bottom — 4–6 inches off the mud before the emergence starts
pupathe cool morning hours are prime — as the emergence builds, slide the pupa up to 12–15 inches off bottom under the indicator; a little wind chop does the jigging

Concentrates by DEPTH BAND and mud type, not a fixed spot: roughly 20–25 ft in spring, deeper midsummer, in against the feeder creeks in summer heat, 5–25 ft in fall. Match the band.

This one translates almost perfectly: a slip float with a 1/64–1/100 oz midge-pattern jig set 4–15 inches off bottom over a mud flat, dead-sticked with the chop doing the work. Depth control is everything — no moving lure imitates a hanging pupa; the float rig IS the technique.

The event happens over open mud flats alongside weedlines, channels and basin edges; feeder-creek mouths in summer heat

Grasshoppers (east-side summer)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 30 · the East Walker and Upper Owens terrestrial program

adultall day in high summer, best when afternoon wind knocks bugs onto the water

Pulls fish to the windward grassy banks and edges for months — fish the bank the wind blows ONTO.

The friendliest crossover of the summer: on lakes, drift the windward bank with a bubble-and-foam-hopper — the bubble's splash doesn't hurt a hopper presentation. On rivers, the same rig dead-drifted along the undercut grass banks, or small gold spinners under the banks between rises.

The event happens over grassy banks, undercut edges and windward shorelines

Next on this water

Damselfly migration · forageMay 25 – Aug 31 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Kinney Lake, Upper

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Kinney Lake, Upper on the board.

Fishing Kinney Lake, Upper: what the data says

18-acre lake near Alpine County. The lake tops out around 23 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.

Kinney Lake, Upper maps at 18 acres behind 0.7 miles of shoreline. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. About 33% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Alpine County claims this one. Lower Kinney Lake sits 0 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Kinney Lake, Upper

Start shallow in spring: cutthroat trout sit in 3 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 23 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 23 ft. The spot to know is Shoreline break, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (10 ft)	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	7 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (10 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (10 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	6 to 23 ft	dawn	Shoreline break (10 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Kinney Lake, Upper

Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 6 to 23 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 23 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline break: a drop-off around 10 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (10 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	6 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (10 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	7 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (10 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	5 to 23 ft	dawn	Shoreline break (10 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Notable structure

4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 20 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 20 ft
Shoreline break: drop-off, around 10 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

Kinney Lake, Upper fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for California waters are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Kinney Lake, Upper specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official California fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Kinney Lake, Upper?

Kinney Lake, Upper is about 23 ft (7 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Kinney Lake, Upper?

Anglers target cutthroat trout, rainbow trout on Kinney Lake, Upper.

Where is the best fishing spot on Kinney Lake, Upper?

Shoreline break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Kinney Lake, Upper?

For cutthroat trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Kinney Lake, Upper?

Fishing on Kinney Lake, Upper is regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official California regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Lower Kinney Lake 0 mi · Kinney Reservoir 1 mi · Wet Meadows Reservoir 4 mi · Tamarack Lake 5 mi · Lost Lakes 9 mi · Lost Lakes 9 mi · Heenan Lake 11 mi · Crater Lake 14 mi · Scotts Lake 16 mi · Topaz Lake 18 mi, NV/CA · Salt Springs Reservoir 19 mi · Poore Lake 24 mi

See how Kinney Lake, Upper stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in California

More water nearby: Alpine County fishing maps (10 charts). Browse all California fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.