when do the lakes warm up

[JT26]

Since this will be my 2nd year of fishing freshwater on my own, i still dont know much about the lakes.
When do most lakes start warming up and the fish come shallower? Especially in lake washington.

[HillbillyGeek]

Since this will be my 2nd year of fishing freshwater on my own, i still dont know much about the lakes.
When do most lakes start warming up and the fish come shallower? Especially in lake washington.

The rate that a lake warms up will be determined mostly by size. Lake WA is HUGE, so it will take a while. The fish will be more active around the first part of April. Smaller lakes warm up very quickly and the fishing can be pretty good in March.

I fish several small lakes during the spring and early summer, but when the weather gets hot and stays hot, the fishing stinks. That's when it's a good idea to try larger bodies of water. Last year I had a lot of success on Lake Stevens in mid August while the smaller lakes were relatively unproductive.

[A9]

March-June are great times for trout fishing in the smaller lakes...

Lake Washington in the spring (april-June) is red hot for smallies if you know the spots...

After a while of hot heat, time come July thru the first few weeks of September, the smaller lakes are really really warm and that makes for poor trout fishing...But bass fishing in the small local lakes can be pretty good during that time....

[Anonymous]

Lake Washington starts heating up depending on the season in April. Fishing starts to ignite in April and extends thru early May for stellar cutthroat action. Smaller lakes warm early depending on the season and can be downright 'hot' by mid-July. August is usually the worst for a lot of little lakes as the water is so warm. If you're interested in Lk. Washington just be patient and wait until the cutts come out of their estuaries by Apr-May you will have amazing fishing. Then it cools off (cutt fishing) as Lk. Washington heats up (temp wise) and they go down deeper, simply following the thermocline. Bass fisherman do quite well this time of year and can really have a ball doing so - bottom line, we're in a moderate to strong La Nina right now with a -PDO value...I wouldn't count on things warming up fast any time soon, rather, it probably will be a much more gradual warming trend, rather than an abrupt one. This can be good and bad...depending on the species being targeted.

[gpc]

The fishing will start picking up around march, april will be better and may even better. Then on the westside you can catch it all in june, but on the eastside the trout will start slowing down, but the warm water species will really start picking up. July the westside trout fishing will really slow down, but warm water fish state wide will be in its peak. August same deal, except on the dog days. Once the weather starts getting really hot most think the trout fishing is done till september. So not true, just start night fishing. Now I wouldnt bother eating a trout in the middle of august from central or eastern WA, but still very fun to catch. But I have fished for trout in 90+ degree weather and have caught trout, but I wouldnt reccomend it.