Finley Lake, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Finley Lake in Okanogan County, Washington. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. It is a small entry by Okanogan County standards. Nearest town is Oroville, 7.4 miles off. The nearest city of size is Kelowna, 73 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Finley Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Okanogan County include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, sockeye salmon, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The near bank of Finley Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 66°F in July and bottom out at 24°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice-out usually falls in mid March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. In an average year the thaw lands around mid March and the freeze near early December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan any trip to Finley Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Recorded parking is 0.9 miles off, far enough to travel light. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Stern Lake, 0.1 miles out. Where Finley Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.