Camp Lakes Fishing near Basin City, Washington

• Overview

  Set in Franklin County, Washington, this is Camp Lakes. The setting is sage and rock on every side. The water covers some 29 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. 6.8 miles away sits Basin City, the nearest town. Then Connell, 8.6 miles, and Othello, 13 miles. In the same area: Chance Lake (0.8 miles), Scooteney Reservoir at 3.9 miles, Worth Lake (4.2 miles), Bailie Pond at 4.6 miles and T Lake (4.7 miles). No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Camp Lakes

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Franklin County include yellow perch, largemouth bass, black crappie and smallmouth bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The near bank of Camp Lakes is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 72°F and January reads 31°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. That shapes the year on Camp Lakes. A settled spell fishes better than a bright one.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Chance Lake, 0.8 miles out. Confirm access to Camp Lakes locally before you travel.