Tombstone Lake in Skamania County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Skamania County, Washington, this is Tombstone Lake. The country here is open valley. A pocket of water where every cast reaches cover. On size it sits at the modest end of our Skamania County list. You are 18 miles from Carson. After that come Stevenson at 20 miles and Cascade Locks at 22 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Tombstone Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Skamania County include Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Tombstone Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 28°F and August at about 57°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. It sets the rhythm of the year at Tombstone Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Lake Sebago is 0.2 miles distant. What applies at Tombstone Lake may have changed since it was mapped.