Pothole Lake Fishing in Klickitat County, Washington

• Overview

  Klickitat County in Washington is where Pothole Lake sits. Elevation runs to 2,238 feet. Small at around 7 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Klickitat County list. Goldendale is the closest town at 6.2 miles. Further out sit Dallesport (25 miles) and The Dalles (26 miles). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Pothole Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Klickitat County records list Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and pumpkinseed among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Treat Pothole Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 66°F and January near 30°F. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. The season on Pothole Lake rarely departs from it. Water colour tells you more than the air temperature does.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Tadpole Lake, 11 miles away. Rules at Pothole Lake are worth checking on the day.