Capitol Lake

Capitol Lake is a saltwater spot in Washington, United States, and the kind of place where tide does most of the work. The hours either side of high water tend to be the most productive on the coast here. At Capitol Lake, structure — reefs, drop-offs, headlands, harbour walls — concentrates baitfish, and predators follow. A good local rule: if the bait isn't where you expect it to be, the fish won't be either.

Location

47.0337, -122.9087 · View on OpenStreetMap →

Species at This Spot

Rainbow troutCoho salmonBlack crappieCoastal cutthroat trout

Fishing Techniques

• For Rainbow trout

  Vary your retrieve speed when using spinners to find what triggers a strike; sometimes a slow, steady retrieve works best, while other times a faster, erratic retrieve is more effective.

• For Coho salmon

  When fishing for Coho in rivers, focus on areas with current breaks, such as behind rocks or logs, as they often hold in these spots. Vary your retrieve speed to find what the fish are responding to.

• For Black crappie

  Vary your retrieve speed until you find what the crappie are responding to; sometimes slow and steady is best, other times a twitching action triggers strikes.

Recommended Gear

Tackle commonly used to target the species at Capitol Lake.

Plan Your Trip

Anglers heading to Capitol Lake should sort licences and confirm seasonal regulations for Washington before the trip. A quick weather check the morning of helps too — wind direction in particular can make or break a session at a spot like Capitol Lake.

Nearby Spots in Washington

See all fishing spots in Washington →

Other Fishing Regions in United States