Cornwell Lake, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Okanogan County entry here is Cornwell Lake, in Washington. It sits at 6,949 feet above sea level. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Compared with other Washington water on our list, it sits high. The town to know is Keremeos, 25 miles out. Kelowna is the closest city, 73 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Cornwell Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Okanogan County include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, sockeye salmon, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Cornwell Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 51°F at the top of summer and 15°F at the bottom of winter. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late May. Average temperatures cross freezing around late May in spring and again near early November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Cornwell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Airview Lake, 0.6 miles out. For Cornwell Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.