Little Hanks Lake Fishing near Shelton, Washington

• Overview

  Out in Mason County, Washington, sits Little Hanks Lake. It sits 8.9 miles in from the sea. About 5 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. On size it sits at the modest end of our Mason County list. The nearest place of any size is Shelton, 8.2 miles away. It is 39 miles to Tacoma, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little Hanks Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Mason County records list Chum salmon, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon, largemouth bass and rainbow trout among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Little Hanks Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 62°F on average, January about 39°F. The season stretches long at both ends here. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Anyone fishing Little Hanks Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Hanks Lake, 0.2 miles out. None of that is settled for Little Hanks Lake in what we hold.