Fishing Lake Elsey in Chelan County, Washington

• Overview

  In Washington, Lake Elsey belongs to Chelan County. Land around it is rolling bush. About 12 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is high ground by Washington standards. The closest town, Leavenworth, is 30 miles distant. Further out sit Granite Falls (33 miles) and Manson (36 miles). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Elsey

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Chelan County, recorded fish include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Lake Elsey a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 23°F to 59°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Lake Elsey the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, D Lake at 3.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Signs at Lake Elsey carry more weight than any list.