Big Jim Mountain Lakes near Leavenworth: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  In Washington, Big Jim Mountain Lakes falls inside Chelan County. The land about it is lake country bush. It covers about 3 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Chelan County list. Leavenworth is the closest place, 8.9 miles off. Further out sit Cashmere (19 miles) and Sunnyslope (26 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Big Jim Mountain Lakes

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Chelan County records list cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Big Jim Mountain Lakes the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 21°F in December up to 56°F in August. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That shapes the year on Big Jim Mountain Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Lake Augusta, 1.1 miles away. For Big Jim Mountain Lakes, the notice at the access point is the final word.