Shovel Lake, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Shovel Lake lies within the bounds of Kittitas County, Washington. The surroundings are rolling bush. It measures about 42 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Few waters listed in Kittitas County are bigger. You are 26 miles from Leavenworth. The big place round here is Bellevue, 47 miles distant. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Shovel Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Kittitas County include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Shovel Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 22°F in December and 54°F in August. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. On average, early May opens the water and late November closes it again. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. At Shovel Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Spade Lake is 0.7 miles distant. Treat Shovel Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.