Deer Lakes Fishing Guide, Kittitas County, Washington

• Overview

  The Kittitas County entry here is Deer Lakes, in Washington. It stands 4,583 feet above sea level. About 3 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Supplies mean a trip to Leavenworth, 23 miles off. The big place round here is Bellevue, 50 miles distant. What else is close: Deep Lake 0.7 miles, Lake Vicente within 1.2 miles, Nosh Nosh Wahtum 1.3 miles, Deadhead Lake within 1.3 miles and Peggys Pond 1.5 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lakes

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Kittitas County cover cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Deer Lakes that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 56°F, with December the cold end at about 22°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Deer Lakes runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Deep Lake is 0.7 miles off. Check the position at Deer Lakes before loading the car.