Willoughby Lake, Washington: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Clallam County end of Washington holds Willoughby Lake. It sits in rolling hill. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Clallam County are larger. For supplies, Forks is 24 miles out. Sooke follows at 45 miles, then East Sooke at 47 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Willoughby Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Clallam County cover Coho salmon, rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and American shad. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fish Willoughby Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 41°F and August at about 59°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Anyone fishing Willoughby Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Seafield Lake is 3 miles off. Check the position at Willoughby Lake before loading the car.