Joe Lake, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Joe Lake in the Kittitas County part of Washington. Beyond the shoreline you have open valley. It measures about 30 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Some 19 miles away sits Tanner, the nearest settlement. For a city, Renton is 41 miles off. Nearby, in order: Edds Lake near enough 0.6 miles, Alaska Lake 1.1 miles away, Ridge Lake near enough 1.4 miles, Gravel Lake 1.5 miles away and Chikamin Lake near enough 1.7 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Joe Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Kittitas County include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Joe Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 26°F to 58°F. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. It holds true on Joe Lake more years than not. Weed growth peaks in late summer and changes where you can fish.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Edds Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Joe Lake.