Empire Lake Fishing in Ferry County, Washington

• Overview

  Empire Lake falls in Ferry County, part of Washington. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. Republic sits 11 miles from the bank. Kelowna is the closest city, 82 miles away. Also worth knowing: Malo Lake 4.1 miles, Curlew Lake 5.7 miles away, Mud Lake 9.8 miles, Sanpoil Lake 10 miles away and Beth Lake 13 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Empire Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Ferry County include brook trout, walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and rainbow trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Empire Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 62°F and January near 21°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Empire Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Malo Lake sits 4.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Empire Lake.