Lake West Fishing in Mason County, Washington

• Overview

  You will find Lake West in Mason County, Washington. The bank gives way to farm and woodlot. With some 39 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Start from Shelton, 13 miles down the road. It is 40 miles to Tacoma, the nearest city. Not far off: Rose Lake roughly 3.5 miles, Haven Lake some 3.6 miles off, Stevens Lake roughly 3.7 miles, Lake May some 4.5 miles off and Lake Kakanee roughly 5 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake West

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Mason County names Chum salmon, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon, largemouth bass and rainbow trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Treat Lake West as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 38°F to 61°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. The season on Lake West rarely departs from it. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Rose Lake at 3.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Lake West as something to verify.