Goodwin Lake in Thurston County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Goodwin Lake in Thurston County, Washington. It sits at 410 feet above sea level. At 3 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Thurston County are larger. Yelm sits 3.2 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Tacoma, 26 miles distant. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Goodwin Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Thurston County, recorded fish include Chum salmon, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Goodwin Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in August and bottom out at 39°F in January. No part of the year shuts this water. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. That shapes the year on Goodwin Lake. The first frost of the year slows things for a few days.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Gehrke Lake, 2.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Goodwin Lake.