Fishing at Shoe Lake, Yakima County, Washington

• Overview

  Set in Yakima County, Washington, this is Shoe Lake. The surface lies 6,132 feet up. At roughly 14 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It sits higher than most water we list in Washington. The town to know is Tieton, 31 miles out. Ahtanum is 37 miles and Gleed 37 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Shoe Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Yakima County cover rainbow trout, pumpkinseed and mountain whitefish. The county list is broader than any single water. Shoe Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 56°F, the coldest about 25°F. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Plan any trip to Shoe Lake around it. Autumn cools the shallows first, so work deeper as it goes on.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Miriam Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Shoe Lake.