Fishing Long Lake in Thurston County, Washington

• Overview

  The Thurston County end of Washington holds Long Lake. What surrounds it is dry hill. At 324 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. Shoreline length is close to 3.5 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. It ranks high for size among our Thurston County listings. Tanglewilde-Thompson Place sits 2.2 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Tacoma, 22 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Thurston County names Chum salmon, largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Anyone new to Long Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 65°F, the coldest about 39°F. Warm months push fish deep; cool months bring them back. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Plan around that when you fish Long Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. WDFW Boat Launch sits about half a mile away and carries the launch. Public data has parking about half a mile from the shore. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Hicks Lake, 1.1 miles away. Nothing on Long Lake should be assumed from this page alone.