Wood Lake in Mason County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Wood Lake belongs to Mason County, Washington. The bank is 449 feet above sea level. Small at around 10 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Allyn at 11 miles is the nearest place to stop. After that come Belfair at 12 miles and Shelton at 13 miles. Water in the same corner: Wildberry Lake 0.5 miles away, Jiggs Lake 1.4 miles, Grass Lake 1.6 miles away, Maggie Lake 1.7 miles and Lone Duck Pond 1.9 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Wood Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Mason County records list Chum salmon, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon, largemouth bass and rainbow trout among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Take Wood Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 63°F at the top of summer and 39°F at the bottom of winter. Cold never closes this one. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Wood Lake fishes to that pattern most years. Water temperature lags the air by a week or so.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Wildberry Lake is 0.5 miles distant. The position on Wood Lake is worth confirming on the day.