Fishing at Cranberry Lake, Mason County, Washington

• Overview

  Cranberry Lake stands in Mason County, Washington. Height above sea level is 240 feet. It runs to roughly 186 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The edge runs 2.2 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It ranks high for size among our Mason County listings. Shelton sits 4.7 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Then Allyn, 14 miles, and Home, 15 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Cranberry Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Mason County list Chum salmon, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon and largemouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Treat Cranberry Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 63°F, with January the cold end at about 39°F. Winter here means light layers, not lost months. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. The season on Cranberry Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. 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. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Lake Leprechaun at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Cranberry Lake locally before you travel.