Fishing at Stout Lake, Whatcom County, Washington

• Overview

  Stout Lake is listed under Whatcom County, Washington. Elevation runs to 5,207 feet. This is a pocket water of some 24 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It sits higher than most water we list in Washington. Nearest town is Darrington, 30 miles off. After that come Ryder Lake at 47 miles and Eastern Hillsides at 48 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Stout Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Whatcom County include sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, white sturgeon and Chum salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Stout Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 57°F, while December sits near 25°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan around that when you fish Stout Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Monogram Lake is 4.5 miles distant. Confirm access to Stout Lake locally before you travel.