Northwest Fishing Reports

is there any places near seattle to go ice fishing?

Nope.

Sorry,I wish there was but Western Washington doesn't get the winters like the eastside.
We have local lakes that occasionally freeze over but DO NOT attempt to walk on them.
Ice is always thicker nearest the shore and can give you a false sense of security. But it won't hold,
you'll have to head to Eastern Washington for ice fishing. Not sure what lakes though.
Good luck

fish lake in chelan county near levenworth

curado wrote:fish lake in chelan county near levenworth

Fish Lake is probably the closest and easiest to access from Seattle. I have fished through the ice on many occasions here and have caught tons of fish. The bows are good sized, but the perch are very large if you get into the right school of them.

my cabin is like 7 miles away from it (Plain,WA) so we fish it during the summer but not winter yet

curado wrote:my cabin is like 7 miles away from it (Plain,WA) so we fish it during the summer but not winter yet

my new best friend!!! :bball:

alright, I'm just jealous.


So, how much interest could we get in a westside-to-eastside ice trip??/ I know not to many, but maybe a few. I would love to see some other techniques, and I've got a few to share. Something to ponder....

im in for a west to east ice fishing trip just need to know the location of the lake and when. Does anyone ever go into the high mountain lakes on snowmaching and ice fish? if so let me know. i just moved from colorado and want to find good ice.

Rollin with Rolland wrote: So, how much interest could we get in a westside-to-eastside ice trip??/ I know not to many, but maybe a few. I would love to see some other techniques, and I've got a few to share. Something to ponder....

I would be up for that - Don't have much to share (tip or technique-wise) I have only ice fished once in Nebraska, used the tip-up rigs (not sure if that is really what they are called or not), but I can contribute via my passenger seat, or food, or bait, or...

Let me know when, only bad thing is that I gave my ice fishing gear away when I moved here.

Mattoon Lake by Ellensburg occasionally freezes over enough to fish on. That and Fish Lake would be the two closest to Seattle.

ice seaker wrote:im in for a west to east ice fishing trip just need to know the location of the lake and when. Does anyone ever go into the high mountain lakes on snowmaching and ice fish? if so let me know. i just moved from colorado and want to find good ice.

Yes ice seaker. But there is usually a few problems with that on the westside. #1, I usually hike, no snowmobile. (6-7 miles is no problem if you have all day). Here is what I have found...

#2. you get your butt all the way up to that great, beautiful, secluded mountain lake at 5000 ft. to fish, and you realize there is 6 ft of snow on top of the ice. (hard to fish)

#3. you get your butt all the way up to that great, beautiful, secluded mountain lake at 3000ft. to fish, you realize that there is only one foot of snow, followed by 1" ice, followed by 12" snow, followed by 1" ice.....ect. The snow acts as an insulator, so no "real" ice forms....just 4' of "slush". (very dangerous!!)


There is a real fine line out here between snowfall, cold temps, and ice. The key is timing. Very few lakes at 5000+ft. in the North cascades will be fishable in Jan/Feb. To much snow. BUT...if we get a nice week or two of cold, dry weather in late Nov./Early Dec., that 5000ft lake will be PERFECT. (but probably not enough snow for the snowmobile). Likewise, most lakes at 3000ft. will not even be close to fishable (ice) in Dec. But say, mid to late January, with a nice cold dry weather pattern for a couple weeks, then that lake will be perfect for ice fishing.

Pretty much hope for cold, dry conditions either way.



Well, I'm a terrible planner. It would be fun to try to get to Fish lake this winter. Get some of those nice trout and jumbo perch. I'm not sure what the time line is for ice over there, maybe a few Eastsiders could help us out. I have approx. 7 ice fishing set-ups (poles) and a few tip-ups as well for anybody to use. And an auger. And a heater. I'll be going for sure...Maybe late Jan.????

i can understand that with all the snow and the warm temps i have fished several lakes in the coloroado area adn found several of them with alot of slush. not very fun when your all wet and not catching anything at all. i have looked and am still looking for areas around here but i think i will have to make several trips east or north east.

i allready have a trip planned to idaho for some lake trout fishing and depending on the conditions i will go there more if the fish are bitting good.

what about lost lake by katchless lake? i would think that one frezes early since it is smaller?

Getting up to Lost Lake in the dead of winter may be a chore unless you do it by snowmobile or take the mother of all snowshoe hikes!

ice seaker wrote:what about lost lake by katchless lake? i would think that one frezes early since it is smaller?

I forgot to mention to you on the other thread that at Lost Lake there may be the potential of bad ice because of heavy snowfall in between cold dry conditions. This could negatively effect the ice. Just be sure before you take a step onto the ice. Lost Lake was just a suggestion because I have always thought that if it could be fished safely through the ice that it would be a great lake.

Listen to Rollin with Rolland, he seems to be very knowledgable on the ice.

Hey! I know I'm not a board regular (due to time constraints, I love walakes.com), but I thought I'd give a head's up that I plan to ice fish Fish Lake on MLK Jr. weekend if ice and weather permits. I'd probably leave early (like 8 am) Saturday, spend the night Saturday and Sunday (in Leavenworth), and head back Monday morning after trying to catch the morning bite. I work for the state so I get Monday off hence going on MLK Jr. Day weekend. Anyway, if anybody is interested let me know, and I can make a cost estimate for the trip when January rolls around. And if anybody else is going to be there by themselves for a day let me know if you want to meet up.

I've only been ice fishing four times, when I used to live in Yakima, and was pretty bad at it. But I do have a hand auger.

Fish-or-man? wrote:Hey! I know I'm not a board regular (due to time constraints, I love walakes.com), but I thought I'd give a head's up that I plan to ice fish Fish Lake on MLK Jr. weekend if ice and weather permits. I'd probably leave early (like 8 am) Saturday, spend the night Saturday and Sunday (in Leavenworth), and head back Monday morning after trying to catch the morning bite. I work for the state so I get Monday off hence going on MLK Jr. Day weekend. Anyway, if anybody is interested let me know, and I can make a cost estimate for the trip when January rolls around. And if anybody else is going to be there by themselves for a day let me know if you want to meet up.

I've only been ice fishing four times, when I used to live in Yakima, and was pretty bad at it. But I do have a hand auger.

There are a few members from the westside talking about this Fish-or-man. An eastside Ice fishing trip...

Anyway, that sounds like a good time of the season to go, weather permitting. I'm not sure I would stay a whole weekend, but at least a long day or overnight. I'll PM you with more details, hopefully we can get some more talk about it and schedules after the holidays.....:bounce:

do you guys know if banks lake on the north end will be great this year? for walleye, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallies, whitefish, burbot, perch, and carp?

and also for kokanee?

Fishingboy ( Greenlake is your best bet just N of the bath House it really tighens up#-o in that balmy 53 degree average)
Remember watch out for Polar Bears as well there runny late this Year!:cheers:
East you Goof:cyclopsan !!!! lol