Lower Crystal Lake Fishing Guide, Pierce County, Washington

• Overview

  Set in Pierce County, Washington, this is Lower Crystal Lake. The country here is rolling hill. A pocket of water where every cast reaches cover. Most waters listed here for Pierce County are larger. Nearest town is Buckley, 30 miles off. Crocker lies 30 miles off, Enumclaw another 30 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lower Crystal Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Pierce County, recorded fish include pink salmon, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass and Chum salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Anyone new to Lower Crystal Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 56°F and January near 26°F on the long-run figures. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Lower Crystal Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is a campsite 120 yards from the water. There are toilets 130 yards off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Crystal Lake, 0.5 miles away. Rules at Lower Crystal Lake are worth checking on the day.