North Lake Fishing in Okanogan County, Washington

• Overview

  North Lake lies in Okanogan County, in Washington. Elevation runs to 5,794 feet. At 7 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is high ground by Washington standards. Granite Falls sits 45 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Further out sit Brewster (46 miles) and Manson (46 miles). No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on North Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Okanogan County include rainbow trout, largemouth bass and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Read North Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 54°F for August and 18°F for December. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. That is the shape of the year on North Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Crescent Lake is 2.7 miles off. Confirm access to North Lake locally before you travel.