Fishing Big Meadow Lake in Stevens County, Washington

• Overview

  Big Meadow Lake is listed under Stevens County, Washington. Elevation runs to 3,425 feet. Roughly 81 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. There is roughly 1.6 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. It ranks high for size among our Stevens County listings. Head to Colville, 20 miles away, for anything you forgot. Spokane sits 74 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Big Meadow Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Stevens County records list brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and yellow perch among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Big Meadow Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 61°F and January about 23°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. From about early April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On Big Meadow Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Frater Lake is 6 miles off. Where Big Meadow Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.