Tanwax Lake Fishing in Pierce County, Washington

• Overview

  Tanwax Lake is one of the Pierce County listings for Washington. Height above sea level is 604 feet. It runs to roughly 174 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 2.5 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It is among the larger waters listed here for Pierce County. Supplies mean a trip to Eatonville, 5.7 miles off. The nearest city of size is Tacoma, 22 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Tanwax Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Records held for Pierce County cover pink salmon, sockeye salmon and largemouth bass. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Tanwax Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 38°F and August at about 64°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter here means light layers, not lost months. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Tanwax Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Stidham Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. For Tanwax Lake in particular, ask before you travel.