Bigelow Lake in Thurston County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bigelow Lake lies in Thurston County, Washington. This is open plain country. It covers about 13 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It lies lower than most water we list in Washington. Start from Olympia, 1.9 miles down the road. Lacey follows at 2.7 miles, then Tanglewilde at 4 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Bigelow Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Thurston County list Chum salmon, largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Bigelow Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 64°F and December reads 39°F. The hard part of the year is the heat, not the cold. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. At Bigelow Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping records boating here as restricted to permit holders. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Setchfield Lake, 0.6 miles out. Check the position on Bigelow Lake before loading the car.