McElroy Lake Fishing Guide, Adams County, Washington

• Overview

  McElroy Lake is listed under Adams County, Washington. The surface lies 1,568 feet up. Small at around 17 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Nearest town is Ritzville, 8.7 miles off. Warden is 28 miles away, with Connell at 31 miles. Nearest other option: Sheep Springs Reservoir just 10 miles, Finnell Lake lies 12 miles on, Rattlesnake Lake just 15 miles, Bell Lake lies 16 miles on and Lost Lake just 16 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on McElroy Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Adams County list largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On McElroy Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 70°F and January near 29°F. The season stretches long at both ends here. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. At McElroy Lake the season follows that pattern closely. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records show it does not hold water year-round. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Sheep Springs Reservoir is 10 miles distant. Confirm access to McElroy Lake locally before you travel.