Upper Snowy Lake Fishing Guide, Whatcom County, Washington

• Overview

  Out in Whatcom County, Washington, sits Upper Snowy Lake. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. Our Whatcom County list holds plenty of bigger water. Supplies mean a trip to Darrington, 47 miles off. The nearest city of size is Chilliwack, 68 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Upper Snowy Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Whatcom County: sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and white sturgeon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Upper Snowy Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 54°F and December near 18°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Upper Snowy Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Mapping shows a campsite some 90 yards from the water. A toilet block sits half a mile away. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Lower Snowy Lake, 0.2 miles out. Nothing on Upper Snowy Lake should be assumed from this page alone.