Lake Flore, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Chelan County end of Washington holds Lake Flore. The surface lies 5,696 feet up. It covers about 7 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Compared with other Washington water on our list, it sits high. The town to know is Leavenworth, 13 miles out. For a city, Bellevue is 60 miles off. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lake Flore

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Species logged across Chelan County include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Lake Flore gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 55°F and December about 21°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That shapes the year on Lake Flore.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows a campsite some 0.9 miles from the water. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Lake Brigham, 0.3 miles away. Ask locally about Lake Flore if anything is unclear.