Thorp Lake Fishing near Cle Elum, Washington

• Overview

  Kittitas County in Washington is where Thorp Lake sits. Elevation runs to 4,708 feet. At roughly 10 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The town to know is Cle Elum, 17 miles out. Then Tanner, 27 miles, and Riverbend, 27 miles. Round about: Little Joe Lake (2.5 miles), Kachess Lake lies 3.7 miles on, Cooper Lake (4.3 miles), Baker Lake lies 4.9 miles on and Diamond Lake (5.7 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Thorp Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Kittitas County cover cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Thorp Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 58°F and January near 25°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Time your trip to Thorp Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. 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. Little Joe Lake, 2.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Thorp Lake carry more weight than any list.