Black Lake, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Black Lake is one of the Okanogan County waters in Washington. The surface lies 4,009 feet up. It measures about 61 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. About 1.8 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It is among the larger waters listed here for Okanogan County. Keremeos sits 31 miles from the bank. Then Cawston, 32 miles, and Oroville, 36 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Black Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Okanogan County cover rainbow trout, largemouth bass, sockeye salmon and yellow perch. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Black Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 17°F to 55°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It holds true on Black Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Halfmoon Lake is 1.7 miles off. Where Black Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.