Fishing Panther Lake in Kitsap County, Washington

• Overview

  Kitsap County in Washington is where Panther Lake sits. Country round the bank runs to rolling hill. At about 105 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Bank access stretches around 1.4 miles in total. Size puts it in the front rank of our Kitsap County list. Belfair lies 5.1 miles from the water. Beyond it, Seabeck at 8.1 miles and Erlands Point-Kitsap Lake at 8.6 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Panther Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name Chum salmon, Coho salmon, cutthroat trout and largemouth bass. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Panther Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 39°F in December and 62°F in August. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Anyone fishing Panther Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Boats go in at Panther Lake, roughly half a mile from the water. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Tiger Lake, 1 mile away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Panther Lake before loading the car.