Fishing at Bouck Lake, Whatcom County, Washington

• Overview

  Within Whatcom County, Washington, you have Bouck Lake. The surface lies 3,878 feet up. Surface area runs to about 11 acres — small enough to read in one session. The nearest town is Darrington, 35 miles away. Ryder Lake follows at 43 miles, then Eastern Hillsides at 43 miles. Within easy reach: Gorge Lake within 1.7 miles, Thunder Lake about 3.5 miles, Diablo Lake within 4 miles, Jeanita Lake about 4.7 miles and Sourdough Lake within 5.8 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Bouck Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Whatcom County names sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, white sturgeon, Chum salmon and pink salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Bouck Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 59°F and January near 26°F. In milder years the surface never sets. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. That is the shape of the year on Bouck Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Gorge Lake, 1.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Bouck Lake.