Kaufman Pond, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Kaufman Pond in Thurston County, Washington. This is dry hill country. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It lies lower than most water we list in Washington. Olympia lies 2.5 miles from the water. Tacoma is the closest city, 26 miles away. Others close at hand: Grass Lake a shade over 1.7 miles, Setchfield Lake 2.8 miles, Simmons Lake a shade over 2.9 miles, Capitol Lake 3 miles and Bigelow Lake a shade over 3.3 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Kaufman Pond

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Survey and observation records for Thurston County include Chum salmon, largemouth bass and bluegill. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Kaufman Pond gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 64°F and January reads 39°F. Temperatures stay workable through the cold season. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. On Kaufman Pond that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. Cooper Crest Forest Preserve covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Grass Lake, 1.7 miles out. For Kaufman Pond in particular, ask before you travel.