Fishing Summit Chief Lake in Kittitas County, Washington

• Overview

  In Washington, Summit Chief Lake falls inside Kittitas County. Height above sea level is 5,367 feet. At roughly 4 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It sits higher than most water we list in Washington. For a base, Tanner sits 23 miles out. It is 45 miles to Bellevue, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Summit Chief Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Kittitas County list cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and Chinook salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Work Summit Chief Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 55°F and December near 23°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It holds true on Summit Chief Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lake Ivanhoe, 1.7 miles away. Signs at Summit Chief Lake carry more weight than any list.