Curl Lake Fishing near Dayton, Washington

• Overview

  In Washington, Curl Lake belongs to Columbia County. Country round the bank runs to rolling hill. A pocket of water where every cast reaches cover. The town to know is Dayton, 15 miles out. Further out sit Pomeroy (16 miles) and Waitsburg (23 miles). Round about: Big Four Lake at 0.5 miles, Beaver Lake a shade over 2.2 miles, Watson Lake at 2.2 miles, Deer Lake a shade over 3.6 miles and Rainbow Lake at 4.2 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Curl Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Columbia County include snake river sculpin. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The shape of Curl Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 63°F and December near 28°F on the long-run figures. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. On Curl Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is a car park at Curl Lake, roughly 100 yards away. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. There are toilets 80 yards off. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Big Four Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Curl Lake in what we hold.