Horseshoe Lake Fishing in King County, Washington

• Overview

  This water sits in King County, Washington. The shore lies 20 miles out. Surface area runs to about 9 acres — small enough to read in one session. It lies lower than most water we list in Washington. You are 1.2 miles from Carnation. The nearest city of size is Bellevue, 14 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. King County records list Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and yellow perch among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Horseshoe Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 64°F at the top of summer and 39°F at the bottom of winter. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. It holds true on Horseshoe Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Lake Marcel, 2.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat Horseshoe Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.