The Best Ice Fishing Lakes in Washington

The state of Washington has earned the nickname the Evergreen State for the endless forests that blanket the entire state. But did you know that Washington also has its fair share of lakes? According to the state’s Department of Ecology, there are roughly 8,000 lakes dotting the Washington landscape.

Seattle is famous for rainfall it receives each year, but it lies along the Pacific coast. The northern and eastern parts of Washington experience bitterly cold winters and quite a few of the lakes in these regions freeze over and form good ice.

If you’re looking for some hardwater angling action in the Pacific Northwest, these are the best ice fishing lakes in Washington.

Bonaparte Lake

About 40 miles south of the Canadian border lies Bonaparte Lake, a true gem among Washington’s many natural wonders. Getting there can be a bit of a journey as it is a 6-hour drive heading northeast from Seattle. But on arrival, the spectacular views and breathtaking scenery make all the effort worthwhile.

Here’s Bonaparte Lake at a glance:

Bonaparte Lake covers an area of 159 acres, making it a modestly sized lake. It has an hourglass shape with two distinct basins.
With 71 miles of shoreline, getting around Bonaparte Lake to access good ice and distance yourself from other anglers is usually not a problem deep into ice fishing season. Just be mindful that some stretches of shoreline are privately owned.
Most parts of the lake range between 12 to 30 feet deep all around its shores, with a maximum depth of 75 feet in the lower basin and 109 feet in the upper basin.

If you’re looking to make the most out of your visit to Bonaparte Lake, there are several resorts and hotels in the area along with cabins for rent.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Bonaparte Lake

With its location in northeastern Washington at an elevation of 3,556 feet, Bonaparte Lake reliably forms fishable ice year in and year out. Shallow water extends a decent amount from the shore, which typically means good access to fish.

There are about a half-dozen species you can target at Bonaparte Lake during ice fishing season:

Kokanee (a land-locked version of sockeye salmon)
Smallmouth bass

Trout (including brook, lake, rainbow, and tiger)

It is worth noting that if you’re partial to smallmouth bass, this is the place for you. Hardwater anglers aren’t just invited to fish for smallies at Bonaparte Lake, they’re encouraged to fish them to daily limits to help reduce the burden on other fish species in the lake.

1. Curlew Lake

Curlew Lake is another hardwater gem that is popular among anglers during ice fishing season. Located about 2 ½ hours northwest of Spokane by car, and just half an hour’s drive from Canada, Curlew Lake is one of Washington’s best ice fishing lakes hands down.

Here’s how Curlew Lake measures up:

With a surface area of 884 acres, Curlew Lake is a decent-sized body of water by Washington standards.
Curlew Lake’s long, narrow basin provides 16 miles of winding, twisting shoreline that creates a number of coves and inlets.

This lake has an average depth of 43 feet and bottoms out at 130 feet.

Lakes throughout Washington are hubs for year-round activities. When the temperatures drop and winter rolls around, Curlew Lake is a go-to spot for hardwater anglers from all around.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Curlew Lake

Curlew Lake is a dynamic habitat for a diverse population of fish including chiselmouth, kokanee, northern pikeminnow, peamouth, and smallmouth bass. But the biggest draws during ice fishing season are these species:

Largemouth bass – one of the biggest draws to Curlew Lake is the largemouth bass action. Focus on areas with underwater vegetation and structure.
Rainbow trout – another highlight of ice fishing at Curlew Lake is rainbow trout. This lake is stocked every year with rainbow trout which can grow to 13 inches. Rainbow trout can be found all over Curlew Lake but a good place to start is near the shoreline.
Tiger muskie – this species is a cross between a muskie and a northern pike. Although they can be quite finicky about striking at your presentation, the reward is well worth the effort. Specimens in Curlew Lake average 34 to 48 inches and can weigh more than 30 pounds.

Yellow perch – Curlew Lake is teeming with yellow perch ever since this species was introduced (illegally, by the way) to these waters. To control the yellow perch population and protect other species, the state of Washington imposes no size or catch limits. Fish away.

Curlew Lake is unusually narrow and quite elongated. Although you can wander about the ice to find a good spot to cut your fishing hole, some good places to start include Fisherman’s Cove, Curlew Lake State Park, and near any of the lake’s four islands.

2. Fish Lake

With a name like Fish Lake, the angling action better be good here, and it most certainly is. About a 2-hour drive east of Seattle, Fish Lake is perfect for hardwater anglers looking to get away for a day or two to try their luck out on the ice. Here’s a snapshot of Fish Lake:

At just under 500 acres, Fish Lake is perfectly sized for ice fishing. Small enough to walk around to find your perfect spot but large enough to distance yourself from other anglers.
There are 81 miles of shoreline at Fish Lake, much of which is managed by the United States Forestry Service.
Fish Lake is relatively shallow, with depths ranging from 10 to 20 feet in many places, and a maximum depth of 40 feet at the bottom of its basin.

Nestled in national forest land, Fish Lake is as scenic of an ice fishing lake as you’ll find anywhere. Even on the rare occasion that the fish simply aren’t biting under the ice, the breathtaking scenery alone is reason enough to visit and will provide a nice break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Fish Lake

Aside from its beautiful setting and accessible location, Fish Lake has a diverse population of fish in its waters. Among the popular species you can expect to target here are:

Brown trout

Kokanee
Northern pikeminnow
Prickly sculpin

Redside shiner

But the biggest draws to Fish Lake every winter are the abundant rainbow trout, largemouth bass, and yellow perch. Thousands of rainbows are restocked at Fish Lake each year and this species offers hardwater anglers some of the highest catch rates among all the fish in the lake.

Yellow perch and largemouth bass are also popular targets at Fish Lake during ice fishing season. Like other lakes in Washington, ice anglers are encouraged to target these species and take daily limits to control the yellow perch and largemouth bass populations and protect other types of fish in the lake.

3. Fourth of July Lake

If rainbow trout is your favorite ice fishing target, then Fourth of July Lake in eastern Washington is the perfect lake for you. Less than an hour’s drive from Spokane, Fourth of July Lake not only has a festive name, but the fireworks don’t really start flying until the winter months as far as trout is concerned.

Here are the particulars for Fourth of July Lake:

With a surface area of just a touch over 101 acres, Fourth of July Lake is modestly sized but its waters offer big-time winter trout action.

Fourth of July Lake is a long and narrow body of water and its winding shoreline measures 63 miles long.
This lake is shallow in most spots with depths ranging from 6 to 30 feet. At its deepest point, Fourth of July Lake bottoms out at 46 feet.

With its proximity to Spokane, Fourth of July Lake is the go-to spot for winter trout anglers in the eastern part of the state. But the hardwater action for rainbows is so good that you shouldn’t be surprised to find ice fishing enthusiasts from all over Washington and beyond.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Fourth of July Lake

Rarely would a lake offering just one species of fish be considered an ice fishing hotspot. But Fourth of July Lake is such a place and the hardwater action for rainbow trout is that good. Here are the highlights of angling on the ice at Fourth of July Lake:

This lake is restocked every year with rainbows which ensures a healthy carryover population.
There are specimens in Fourth of July Lake that are over 20 inches long.

There are no size limits on rainbow trout at Fourth of July Lake and each angler is allowed 5 fish per day.

Despite its name, Fourth of July Lake is a winter-only trout fishing lake. Because of its shallow depth and relatively small size, this lake forms good ice which can be accessed from just about anywhere along its shoreline.

4. Moses Lake

Moses Lake lies adjacent to Potholes Reservoir (another lake on this list) in central Washington. Together, these two lakes form a dynamic duo on the Washington ice fishing scene. Here’s Moses Lake at a glance:

Moses Lake covers an area of 6,937 acres and sprawls over a large area because of its unique serpent-like shape.
This lake has nearly 83 miles of twisting, winding shoreline. Moses Lake is known for its “arms”, which split off from the main basin of the lake.
Moses Lake averages 5 to 15 feet deep throughout most of the lake and bottoms out at a maximum depth of 36 feet.

Because of its shallow depth and narrow width, Moses Lake forms good, solid ice every winter. Hardwater access can be made from all around the lake.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Moses Lake

Like Potholes Reservoir to the south, Moses Lake is one of the few legitimate walleye options during Washington’s ice fishing season. In addition to this highly sought fish, other popular species at Moses Lake include:

Bluegill

Channel catfish
Common carp
Crappie

Lake whitefish
Largemouth bass
Rainbow trout

Smallmouth bass
Yellow perch

If you live in Seattle or the western part of the state, getting to Moses Lake will be a major road trip. But the variety and abundance of hardwater favorites, including walleye, make this an ice fishing adventure worth experiencing.

5. Patterson Lake

Patterson Lake is in north-central Washington, about a 4 ½ hour drive from Seattle. This charming lake is one of the most popular year-round attractions in Okanogan County with the quaint town of Winthrop just a few miles away.

During the winter months, Patterson Lake is transformed into a haven for hardwater anglers. Here’s how Patterson Lake measures up:

Patterson Lake covers an area of 160 acres or roughly a quarter of a square mile.

With a shoreline of 3.42 miles, Patterson Lake is narrow and elongated.
Water depth averages around 20 feet along the shoreline and reaches a maximum depth of 85 feet at the center of the lake’s basin.

Set amid a backdrop of tall pine trees and hilly terrain, Patterson Lake becomes a winter wonderland during ice fishing season. Roads running alongside the shoreline provide access to the ice from all sides and a boat launch on the north side of the lake serves as a good staging area.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Patterson Lake

Patterson Lake is a habitat for roughly half a dozen species of fish, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, kokanee, and tiger trout. But the biggest draws to Patterson Lake every winter are these angler favorites:

Bluegill – this species is abundant in Patterson Lake but catching them through the ice requires patience and a willingness to move around and follow the schools as they move about in deeper waters away from shore.
Crappie – the winter months at Patterson Lake sees an uptick in crappie activity and many anglers come to this lake with this species at the top of their target list.

Rainbow trout – Patterson Lake is stocked with several thousand rainbows every year and this species is one of the biggest draws every ice fishing season.
Yellow perch – this is another top target for hardwater anglers at Patterson Lake. Yellow perch is a schooling species so if you start to get good strikes on your line, be ready for some good action.

While Patterson Lake is not the most easily accessible lake in Washington, if you’re an ice fishing enthusiast looking for a great spot for hardwater action, this lake should be on your short list of destinations.

6. Potholes Reservoir

Potholes Reservoir offers one of the most diverse fish populations in the state and is one of Washington’s most popular ice fishing destinations. Created by the O’Sullivan Dam project, Potholes Reservoir is located about 2 hours southwest of Spokane by car in central Washington.

Here’s what you need to know before heading out to Potholes Reservoir for a day of ice fishing:

With a surface area of 14,292 acres, Potholes Reservoir is one of the largest bodies of water in the state of Washington. It is so large that it does not completely freeze over every winter, but certain areas form solid ice year in and year out for good hardwater angling.

The shoreline of Potholes Reservoir is extensive, running for 405 miles around the lake.
Potholes Reservoir has several shallow spots where the water is 15 to 25 feet deep but there are also steep drop-offs where the water depth plunges down to 95 feet. The best ice fishing action can be found in the southwest portion of the lake where the water depth averages 20 feet.

With its location deep in the heart of Washington, Potholes Reservoir may not be easily reachable for many would-be hardwater anglers. But if you find yourself in central or eastern Washington and you’re looking for good ice fishing, a visit to Potholes Reservoir should be on your to-do list.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Potholes Reservoir

Potholes Reservoir is not only large but it is also home to a diverse fish population making it an attractive spot for ice fishing enthusiasts from all over the region. You can find the usual cast of hardwater angling characters here, including bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass.

But Potholes Reservoir is better known for these ice fishing favorites:

Lake whitefish – the flaky white fillets of lake whitefish are a hardwater angler favorite. This species is active during the winter months, especially at shallow depths closer to shore.

Yellow perch – this species is abundant in lakes throughout Washington and Potholes Reservoir is no exception.
Walleye – this highly sought fish is not commonly found in Washington lakes. Potholes Reservoir is one of the few hardwater lakes with good walleye action during ice fishing season.

This lake is also stocked every year with rainbow trout, which is another favorite among ice fishing enthusiasts.

7. Roses Lake

Right in the heart of Washington, about a 3 ½ hour drive from Seattle, lies Roses Lake, one of the Evergreen State’s premier ice fishing lakes. Located on the eastern fringe of the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest, Roses Lake is a hardwater angler’s paradise. Here are the particulars:

Roses Lake has a surface area of 178 acres. It is not a large body of water by any stretch of the imagination, but Roses Lake provides a dynamic habitat for nearly a dozen species of fish.
The amoeba-shaped shoreline of Roses Lake measures 2.25 miles.

Roses Lake is a shallow body of water. Its average depth close to shore is 5 to 15 feet, and at its deepest point, Roses Lake reaches a maximum depth of 30 feet.

In terms of distance, Roses Lake is closer to the Canadian border than it is to Seattle. Getting here may be a bit of a journey for many would-be ice anglers but the beautiful setting and quality fishing make it a worthwhile trip.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Roses Lake

With its shallow depth and relatively small surface area, Roses Lake reliably forms good ice every winter. The waters of Roses Lake are home to no less than 10 species of fish:

Bluegill
Brown trout
Bullhead

Channel catfish
Crappie
Largemouth bass

Pumpkinseed
Rainbow trout
Tiger trout

Yellow perch

Roses Lake is a major rainbow trout fishery in the state of Washington. Each year, thousands of rainbows are stocked in these waters. Brown and tiger trout are also regularly stocked, albeit in lesser numbers.

8. Sidley Lake

One of Washington’s best ice fishing lakes sits less than a mile from the Canadian border in the northernmost reaches of the Evergreen State. Sidley Lake is a hotspot for trout and the winter months are a popular time of year for anglers to descend on this lake in search of good hardwater action.

Here’s what you need to know about Sidley Lake:

Sidley Lake has a surface area of just under 110 acres.
Its shoreline measures 73 miles around.

This is a shallow body of water with an average depth of 10 feet and a maximum depth of just 20 feet.

Given its location on the U.S.-Canada border and modest dimensions, Sidley Lake forms fishable ice earlier than most other lakes in Washington. Access to the ice can be made from any of the roads encircling the lake.

What You Need to Know About Ice Fishing at Sidley Lake

During ice fishing season, hardwater anglers and ice shanties are a common sight on the ice at Sidley Lake, and for good reason.

Like Fourth of July Lake on this list, Sidley Lake is a rainbow trout angler’s paradise. Thousands of rainbows are released into Sidley Lake every year and wintertime catch rates are consistently high.

Conclusion

The state of Washington is famous for many things. Seattle is as beautiful as a city as you’ll find anywhere and the Evergreen State’s forests and wilderness areas embody the stunning beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

But there’s good fishing here too, and if you’re looking to drop a line through the ice, these ice fishing lakes are your best bets to have a day you’ll long remember.

SOURCES:

https://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/us_wa_01516782-bonaparte-lake-nautical-chart.html

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/locations/lowland-lakes/bonaparte-lake

https://okanogancountry.com/poi/bonaparte-lake

https://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/us_wa_01518419-curlew-lake-nautical-chart.html

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/locations/lowland-lakes/curlew-lake

https://curlewlake.com/fishing/#fishingmap

https://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/us_wa_01519590-fish-lake-nautical-chart.html

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/locations/lowland-lakes/fish-lake-chelan#prospects

https://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/us_aa_wa_fourth_of_july_lake_adams-fourth-of-july-lake-adams-county-page-nautical-chart.html

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/locations/lowland-lakes/fourth-of-july-lake

https://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/us_wa_01506804-moses-lake-nautical-chart.html