Hunter Lake Fishing in Okanogan County, Washington

• Overview

  Set in Okanogan County, Washington, this is Hunter Lake. It lies 4,026 feet above sea level. This is a tiny water, and one quiet approach covers all of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Okanogan County list. Nearest place of any size is Tonasket, 8.5 miles away. The nearest city of size is Kelowna, 80 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Hunter Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Okanogan County cover rainbow trout, largemouth bass and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Anyone new to Hunter Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 64°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late March. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hunter Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Lemanasky Lake at 1.7 miles is the nearest alternative. For Hunter Lake in particular, ask before you travel.