Getting There

The Mosquito Lakes are popular roadside waters located on Highway 4 between Arnold and Markleeville. The Mosquito Lakes have a campground across the highway that can be busy during the peak summer holidays. There are a number of places to park at the Mosquito Lakes including on the west end where the Bull Run Lake Trailhead is located. A few hundred feet down the road, eastward, you will find another parking area near where the two lakes are split by a small dam. There is additional parking further east on highway 4 along the road.

The Hike

There is no hike to the Mosquito Lakes as they are roadside waters. I recommend walking around to the South side of the Western (Upper) Mosquito Lake to start fishing as it provides better casting access for flyfishing.

The Fishing

The Mosquito Lakes make a great place to take your family to catch some easy fish. It is ideal for someone who is not looking for a hike and would like to hook into some decent sized Sierra Rainbows. I always fish the Upper Mosquito Lake, the western lake, and I avoid the highway side of the lake because of the crowds. Many people simply sit in lawn chairs along the road with their fishing poles and that makes for a nice, relaxing day. I usually walk around to the South side of the Upper Mosquito Lake and begin fishing along the bank. The South side has lots of backcasting access. Eventually I make my way over to the rock point and fan cast that entire area.

The fish are generally biting at the Mosquito Lakes, if they are in there. The Mosquito Lakes are put-and-take waters that are planted regularly throughout the summer and receive significant fishing pressure. They are tiny Lakes at 4 acres each and not deep enough to sustain a holdover population of trout. Once the fish planting begins in late spring, the Mosquito Lakes fishing is pretty good through September. By October, the fishing is dead.

When I'm fishing with my kids we like to use Powerbait or inflated nightcrawlers. Both of these techniques work well at the Mosquito Lakes. With my flyrod, I will tie on a beaded Hare's Ear Nymph or a Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph and do some sub-surface nymphing. The fish at the Mosquito Lakes are not terribly picky so any decent trout lure should eventually get you a fish here if you come at the right time.