Coney Lake Fishing near Gold Bar, Washington

• Overview

  Washington holds Coney Lake, in King County. It sits at 5,144 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 19 acres — small enough to read in one session. Gold Bar sits 17 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Bellevue, 35 miles distant. Also on the doorstep: Lake Kanim 0.9 miles off, Crystal Lake near enough 0.9 miles, Bear Lakes 1.7 miles off, Bench Lake near enough 1.9 miles and Lennox Lake 2.4 miles off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Coney Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for King County cover Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Coney Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 59°F at the top of summer and 29°F at the bottom of winter. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Anyone fishing Coney Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Lake Kanim, 0.9 miles out. Check the position on Coney Lake before loading the car.