Cradle Lake in Chelan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Cradle Lake in the Chelan County part of Washington. Elevation runs to 6,171 feet. Surface area runs to about 7 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is high ground by Washington standards. Leavenworth lies 16 miles from the water. The big place round here is Bellevue, 57 miles distant. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Cradle Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Chelan County: cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and Chinook salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Cradle Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 56°F, the coldest about 22°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Cradle Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Sprite Lake, 2.9 miles away. Rules at Cradle Lake are worth checking on the day.