Drunken Charlie Lake Fishing near Lake Marcel-Stillwater, Washington

• Overview

  Set in Snohomish County, Washington, this is Drunken Charlie Lake. Elevation runs to 1,447 feet. At 3 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Snohomish County list. Lake Marcel-Stillwater lies 6.8 miles from the water. It is 21 miles to Bellevue, the nearest city. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Drunken Charlie Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. 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. Snohomish County records list Chinook salmon, pink salmon, Coho salmon and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Drunken Charlie Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 61°F on average, December about 36°F. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. That is the shape of the year on Drunken Charlie Lake. Spring warms the shallows first, so start there.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Cedar Ponds Lake is 2.9 miles distant. Signs at Drunken Charlie Lake carry more weight than any list.