Totem Lake in King County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Totem Lake is set in King County, Washington. It stands 121 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our King County list. Nearest place of any size is Kingsgate, 1.1 miles away. Bellevue is the closest city, 6.8 miles away. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Totem Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for King County cover Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and yellow perch. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Totem Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 40°F in December to roughly 65°F in August. Fish stay active all year, but they move with the heat. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Totem Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. There are toilets 170 yards off. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Forbes Lake at 1.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Totem Lake.