Fishing Bench Lake in Pierce County, Washington

• Overview

  Set in Pierce County, Washington, this is Bench Lake. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. About 8 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Eatonville sits 28 miles from the bank. Beyond it, Crocker at 29 miles and Morton at 31 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off. It sits away from the main road, which keeps the noise down.

• Where to Fish on Bench Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Pierce County include pink salmon, sockeye salmon and largemouth bass. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Bench Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 53°F and January reads 24°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Bench Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Snow Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Rules at Bench Lake are worth checking on the day.