Fishing Lost Lake in Chelan County, Washington

• Overview

  Lost Lake lies within the bounds of Chelan County, Washington. The water sits 4,938 feet up. It covers about 22 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Head to Leavenworth, 19 miles away, for anything you forgot. The big place round here is Everett, 60 miles distant. Within easy reach: Merritt Lake 0.7 miles off, Canan Lake 1 mile, Crescent Lake 1.7 miles off, Rock Lake 2.3 miles and Lake Ethel 4.7 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lost Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Chelan County include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Lost Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 58°F and December near 23°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. At Lost Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Merritt Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Lost Lake before loading the car.