Lake May in Mason County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake May lies in Mason County, in Washington. It sits in rolling hill. Surface area runs to about 10 acres — small enough to read in one session. Shelton sits 14 miles from the bank. Further out sit Allyn (18 miles) and Belfair (18 miles). Others worth noting: Lake Kakanee after 0.5 miles, Lake Standstill a shade over 1.9 miles, Stevens Lake after 3.4 miles, Rose Lake a shade over 4.2 miles and Lake West after 4.5 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Lake May

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Mason County include Chum salmon, cutthroat trout and Coho salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The near bank of Lake May is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 62°F at the top of summer and 38°F at the bottom of winter. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Expect Lake May to follow that timing. The first warm week of the year changes everything here.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Lake Kakanee at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. For Lake May in particular, ask before you travel.