← Washington fishing maps

Best smallmouth bass lakes in Washington

84 Washington waters list smallmouth bass (official records or labelled estimates), 78 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.

1. Lake Chelan — 1400 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Chinook SalmonWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites
2. Moses Lake — 36 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
3. Columbia River — Reach 5 of 5 — 90 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, SteelheadWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Lake Washington — 214 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow PerchWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
5. Potholes Reservoir — 142 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
6. Riffe Lake — 360 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
7. Lake Sammamish — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites
8. Osoyoos Lake — 208 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 10 public access sites
9. Osoyoos Lake — 75 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Lake Tapps — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
11. Palmer Lake — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
12. Curlew Lake — 120 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
13. Deer Lake — 75 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Lake Stevens — 150 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Black Lake — 28 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. American Lake — 90 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Lake Goodwin — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Long Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Liberty Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Fish Lake — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
21. North Twin Lake — 55 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Lake Saint Clair — 110 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Alkali Lake — 12 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Loon Lake — 100 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Lake Sawyer — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites

…plus 59 more Washington waters holding smallmouth bass.

Find the closest smallmouth bass waters to you →

When to fish smallmouth bass in Washington

• Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
• Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.

Also in Washington: best largemouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes · best pink salmon lakes · best chum salmon lakes · best pacific chinook salmon lakes · best pacific coho salmon lakes · best english sole lakes · best lingcod lakes

Smallmouth Bass elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · New York · Montana · Massachusetts · Wyoming · New Brunswick · Indiana · North Dakota · Texas · Iowa · Ohio · Connecticut · Nebraska · California · Missouri · Vermont · Oklahoma · South Dakota · Utah · Arizona · Colorado · Illinois · Nova Scotia · New Mexico · Kansas · West Virginia · Idaho · New Jersey · Kentucky · Oregon · North Carolina · Tennessee · Nevada · Virginia · Rhode Island · Manitoba · Pennsylvania · Maryland · Arkansas