Nahwatzel Lake near Shelton: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Within Mason County, Washington, you have Nahwatzel Lake. Height above sea level is 456 feet. At 280 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. There is roughly 2.5 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. It ranks high for size among our Mason County listings. Shelton sits 11 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Further out sit McCleary (13 miles) and Elma (17 miles). No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Nahwatzel Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Mason County, recorded fish include Chum salmon, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon, largemouth bass and rainbow trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Treat Nahwatzel Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 62°F and January about 39°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. On Nahwatzel Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Launching is possible: a slipway lies half a mile off. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Hillman Fish Pond, 2.1 miles out. Confirm before you fish Nahwatzel Lake.