Henderson Lake Fishing in San Juan County, Washington

• Overview

  Henderson Lake belongs to San Juan County, Washington. Beyond the shoreline you have farm and woodlot. Small at around 3 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by San Juan County standards. For a base, Friday Harbor sits 9.8 miles out. Anacortes lies 10 miles off, Ault Field another 12 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Henderson 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. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Open biodiversity records for San Juan County list walleye pollock, Coho salmon, Pacific cod and tidepool sculpin. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Henderson Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 61°F, the coldest about 41°F. Some winters cap it and some do not. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Anyone fishing Henderson Lake regularly works to that calendar. After a storm, the water clears from the edges inwards.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Hummel Lake, 4.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Henderson Lake if anything is unclear.