Hidden Lake Fishing Guide, Pierce County, Washington

• Overview

  Hidden Lake is set in Pierce County, Washington. The bank gives way to mixed woodland. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Washington listings. Some 25 miles away sits Buckley, the nearest settlement. Crocker lies 26 miles off, Enumclaw another 26 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Hidden Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Pierce County records list pink salmon, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass, Chum salmon and Coho salmon among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Hidden Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 54°F and January near 26°F. The season stretches long at both ends here. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Expect Hidden Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Upper Palisades Lake is 0.7 miles off. Rules at Hidden Lake are worth checking on the day.