Fishing Smith Lake in Thurston County, Washington

• Overview

  Smith Lake belongs to Thurston County, Washington. It lies 184 feet above sea level. Small at around 13 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is low-lying compared with other Washington water we list. The town to know is Lacey, 2.2 miles out. The big place round here is Tacoma, 25 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Thurston County include Chum salmon, largemouth bass and bluegill. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Smith Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 64°F at the top of summer and 39°F at the bottom of winter. Cold never closes this one. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Plan around that when you fish Smith Lake. Long dry spells drop the level and concentrate them.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. Mapping shows a picnic spot within half a mile. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Southwick Lake is 1.4 miles off. Nothing on Smith Lake should be assumed from this page alone.