Fishing Wagonwheel Lake in Mason County, Washington

• Overview

  Set in Mason County, Wagonwheel Lake is a Washington water. Everything around it is mixed woodland. This is a pocket water of some 3 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Mason County. Nearest place of any size is Belfair, 23 miles away. Tacoma is the closest city, 45 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Wagonwheel Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Mason County records list Chum salmon, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Wagonwheel Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 32°F and August at about 55°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Wagonwheel Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. A campsite is mapped about 90 yards away, which makes an early start easier. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Flapjack Lakes is 2.8 miles distant. Check the position at Wagonwheel Lake before loading the car.