Fishing Stern Lake in Okanogan County, Washington

• Overview

  Out in Okanogan County, Washington, sits Stern Lake. Around the bank it is mixed forest. Small at around 2 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Okanogan County list. Oroville at 7.3 miles is the nearest place to stop. Kelowna sits 73 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Stern Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Okanogan County: rainbow trout, largemouth bass and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Stern Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 66°F for July and 24°F for January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid March. On average, mid March opens the water and early December closes it again. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It sets the rhythm of the year at Stern Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Finley Lake is 0.1 miles off. Ask locally about Stern Lake if anything is unclear.