Gem Lake, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  King County, Washington, is where Gem Lake sits. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling hill. This is a pocket water of some 15 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Head to Tanner, 13 miles away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Renton, 35 miles away. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Gem Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across King County: Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and yellow perch. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Gem Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 57°F; by December the average is down near 26°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. On Gem Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Toilets show in mapping about 150 yards away. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Snow Lake is 0.8 miles off. Ask locally about Gem Lake if anything is unclear.