Deep Lake in King County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Deep Lake in King County, Washington. The water sits 4,396 feet up. The water covers some 47 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 1.1 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Size puts it in the front rank of our King County list. For a base, Leavenworth sits 23 miles out. After that come Cle Elum at 26 miles and Tanner at 29 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Deep Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. King County records list Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and yellow perch among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The near bank of Deep Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 56°F, with December the cold end at about 22°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. At Deep Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Deer Lakes is 0.7 miles off. Check the position on Deep Lake before loading the car.