Merritt Lake Fishing near Leavenworth, Washington

• Overview

  Merritt Lake is a Chelan County water, in Washington. It sits in rolling bush. Small at around 6 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Leavenworth is the closest town at 19 miles. Then Cashmere, 28 miles, and Granite Falls, 33 miles. Also within reach: Lost Lake 0.7 miles off, Canan Lake sits 1.5 miles out, Crescent Lake 1.9 miles off, Rock Lake sits 2.4 miles out and Lake Ethel 4 miles off. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Merritt Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Chelan County records list cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and Chinook salmon among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Merritt Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 24°F in January and 59°F in August. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between early April and late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Merritt Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Lost Lake, 0.7 miles out. Treat Merritt Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.