Anderson Lake in Pend Oreille County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Anderson Lake lies in Pend Oreille County, Washington. The water sits 2,523 feet up. About 16 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Colville lies 26 miles from the water. Chewelah follows at 30 miles, then Kettle Falls at 32 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge. Access points are few, so the middle stretches see little traffic.

• Where to Fish on Anderson Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Pend Oreille County include rainbow trout, tench, cutthroat trout and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Anderson Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in August and bottom out at 24°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late March. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It holds true on Anderson Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Little Anderson Lake is 0.6 miles off. Treat Anderson Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.