Fishing at Pipe Lake, Yakima County, Washington

• Overview

  Set in Yakima County, Washington, this is Pipe Lake. It sits in mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 8 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is high ground by Washington standards. Tieton at 30 miles is the nearest place to stop. Gleed lies 37 miles off, Ahtanum another 38 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Pipe Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Yakima County records list rainbow trout, pumpkinseed and mountain whitefish among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Treat Pipe Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 55°F for August and 25°F for January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Pipe Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a fishing water. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Deerhead Lake at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Pipe Lake as something to verify.