Shadow Lake Fishing Guide, Pierce County, Washington

• Overview

  Pierce County in Washington is where Shadow Lake sits. The setting is rolling bush on every side. It covers about 2 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Pierce County. Start from Crocker, 24 miles down the road. Buckley lies 25 miles off, Enumclaw another 26 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Shadow Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Pierce County, recorded fish include pink salmon, sockeye salmon and largemouth bass. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The near bank of Shadow Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 53°F in August and bottom out at 24°F in January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. The season between ice runs from about early May to late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Shadow Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. A campsite is mapped about half a mile away, which makes an early start easier. Picnic facilities are recorded some half a mile out. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Frozen Lake is 0.7 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Shadow Lake for certain.