Thompson Lake Fishing Guide, Grant County, Washington

• Overview

  Grant County, Washington, is where Thompson Lake sits. The setting is sage and rock. The water covers some 30 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The closest town, Electric City, is 7.3 miles distant. Spokane sits 80 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Thompson Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Grant County, recorded fish include yellow perch, largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie and smallmouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Thompson Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 28°F and July at about 70°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. On Thompson Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Banks Lake, 4 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Thompson Lake.