Wildcat Lake in Yakima County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Wildcat Lake lies within the bounds of Yakima County, Washington. The ground round it is rolling hill. It is pond-in-a-field scale, with the far bank a short lob away. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Yakima County. The nearest place of any size is Tieton, 33 miles away. Cle Elum lies 35 miles off, Crocker another 36 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Wildcat Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. 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. Public occurrence data for Yakima County names rainbow trout, pumpkinseed and mountain whitefish. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The shape of Wildcat Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 56°F for August and 26°F for January. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. It holds true on Wildcat Lake more years than not. A cold snap sets things back for several days.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Cougar Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. For Wildcat Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.