Fishing Nisqually Lake in Thurston County, Washington

• Overview

  Nisqually Lake falls in Thurston County, part of Washington. Height above sea level is 226 feet. At about 81 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. About 1.8 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It ranks high for size among our Thurston County listings. The closest town, North Yelm, is 4.6 miles distant. The big place round here is Tacoma, 18 miles distant. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Nisqually Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Thurston County include Chum salmon, largemouth bass and bluegill. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Nisqually Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 64°F and January reads 39°F. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. At Nisqually Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Bowman Lake, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Nisqually Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.