Hyas Lake Fishing near Leavenworth, Washington

• Overview

  Hyas Lake lies in King County, Washington. The bank gives way to pine and birch. It runs to roughly 93 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 2.2 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It ranks high for size among our King County listings. Leavenworth sits 21 miles from the bank. Then Cle Elum, 27 miles, and Tanner, 30 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Hyas Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in King County include Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Read Hyas Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 56°F and December near 22°F on the long-run figures. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Hyas Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Hyas Lake, 0.7 miles out. Signs at Hyas Lake carry more weight than any list.