Tadpole Lake Fishing near Goldendale, Washington

• Overview

  In Washington, Tadpole Lake belongs to Klickitat County. The setting is open valley on every side. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. You are 17 miles from Goldendale. For a city, Tri-Cities is 78 miles off. Alternatives close at hand: Pothole Lake at about 11 miles, Olney Lake lies 16 miles on, Mill Pond at about 21 miles, Mount Adams Lake lies 29 miles on and Bench Lake at about 30 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Tadpole Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Klickitat County cover Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and pumpkinseed. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Tadpole Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 25°F to 58°F. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Tadpole Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Pothole Lake sits 11 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Tadpole Lake before loading the car.