Waughop Lake in Pierce County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Waughop Lake lies in Pierce County, in Washington. The water sits 223 feet up. It measures about 30 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. It is low-lying compared with other Washington water we list. Supplies mean a trip to Steilacoom, 1.8 miles off. After that come Lakewood at 2.2 miles and North Fort Lewis at 3.7 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Waughop Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Pierce County include pink salmon, sockeye salmon and largemouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The near bank of Waughop Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 64°F, while January sits near 40°F. Winter is the comfortable season here rather than the difficult one. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Waughop Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Waughop Lake Trailhead holds the nearest mapped parking, half a mile out. There is a recorded fishing site some half a mile from here. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Lake Louise is 0.6 miles off. For Waughop Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.