Fishing Otter Lake in Yakima County, Washington

• Overview

  Look for Otter Lake in the Yakima County part of Washington. The setting is rolling bush. About 5 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Tieton sits 29 miles from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Kent is 63 miles off. Also worth knowing: Cramer Lake within 0.4 miles, Long John Lake a touch under 0.7 miles, Shellrock Lake within 0.8 miles, Pillar Lake a touch under 0.9 miles and Hill Lake within 0.9 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Otter Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Yakima County include rainbow trout, pumpkinseed and mountain whitefish. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Otter Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 55°F and January reads 25°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Otter Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Cramer Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Otter Lake are worth checking on the day.