Tahl Lake, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Tahl Lake lies in King County, in Washington. Height above sea level is 5,663 feet. The water measures roughly 4 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is a small entry by King County standards. The closest town, Tanner, is 23 miles distant. Beyond it, Riverbend at 24 miles and North Bend at 25 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Tahl Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in King County include Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and yellow perch. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Tahl Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 55°F; the cold one sits at 23°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Tahl Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. There are toilets half a mile off. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Foehn Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Tahl Lake.