Forbes Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (WA)

Hatch outlook

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun)Active window

Typical here: Aug 15 – Sep 15 · the smaller fall brood

nymphthe hours before the midday emergence — nymphs rise off the weed tops in a vertical zigzag that can take hours — sources split between slow 2–4 inch strips with long pauses and a quicker steady retrieve; carry both speeds
dunmidday, roughly 11am into early afternoon
spinnermid-to-late-morning falls

Trout browse the weed-bed edges knocking nymphs loose, then cruise the flats sipping duns at midday — the marquee western lake mayfly.

The midday emergence puts cruisers over weed flats in under 20 ft: a casting bubble with a #14 Callibaetis nymph retrieved dead-slow with pauses is the honest match. Between hatch hours, small spoons and #1 inline spinners along the weed edges and drop-offs pick off the same fish.

The event happens over weed flats and weed-bed edges in 20 ft of water or less

Chironomids (stillwater midges)Active window

Typical here: May 1 – Oct 31

nymphearly morning, start of the day — fish the bloodworm ON the bottom — 4–6 inches off the mud before the emergence starts
pupathe cool morning hours are prime — as the emergence builds, slide the pupa up to 12–15 inches off bottom under the indicator; a little wind chop does the jigging

Concentrates by DEPTH BAND and mud type, not a fixed spot: roughly 20–25 ft in spring, deeper midsummer, in against the feeder creeks in summer heat, 5–25 ft in fall. Match the band.

This one translates almost perfectly: a slip float with a 1/64–1/100 oz midge-pattern jig set 4–15 inches off bottom over a mud flat, dead-sticked with the chop doing the work. Depth control is everything — no moving lure imitates a hanging pupa; the float rig IS the technique.

The event happens over open mud flats alongside weedlines, channels and basin edges; feeder-creek mouths in summer heat

Water boatman fall flightsActive window

Typical here: Aug 25 – Oct 10 · peaks on crisp, bright fall days after the first cold snap

adultmiddday-ish on calm, sunny fall days — the fishable moment is the splashdown: boatmen dive in headfirst trailing an air bubble and make repeated trips back to the surface — a fly or lure that dives nose-first on the drop imitates exactly this

Takes are seldom subtle — trout ravage boatmen as they hit the water and during their subsurface runs.

Tailor-made for hardware: a small 1/16 oz silver-bellied spoon or jig cast AT the rings of a splashdown sinks headfirst exactly like the natural — twitch-pause it back through the top few feet. On flight days fan-cast the shallow weed margins.

The event happens over near-shore shallows, weed beds and shoal margins on calm sunny fall afternoons

Grasshoppers (east-side summer)Active window

Typical here: Jun 15 – Sep 30

adultall day in high summer, best when afternoon wind knocks bugs onto the water

Pulls fish to the windward grassy banks and edges for months — fish the bank the wind blows ONTO.

The friendliest crossover of the summer: on lakes, drift the windward bank with a bubble-and-foam-hopper — the bubble's splash doesn't hurt a hopper presentation. On rivers, the same rig dead-drifted along the undercut grass banks, or small gold spinners under the banks between rises.

The event happens over grassy banks, undercut edges and windward shorelines

Next on this water

Damselfly migration · forageMay 15 – Jul 31 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Forbes Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Forbes Lake on the board.

Fishing Forbes Lake: what the data says

38-acre lake in Washington. The lake tops out around 23 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

The drawn water covers 37 acres wrapped in 1 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 51% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 0.3 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. If the bite dies, Phillips Lake is 4 mi to the north.

Rainbow Trout fishing at Forbes Lake

Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 23 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 23 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	6 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (10 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	7 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	5 to 23 ft	dawn	Break off the point (10 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Brown Trout fishing at Forbes Lake

Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 23 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 7 to 23 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 23 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	7 to 23 ft	night & dawn	Break off the point (10 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	4 to 23 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	3 to 23 ft	dawn	Break off the point (10 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Brook Trout fishing at Forbes Lake

Spring brook trout on Forbes Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 23 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 20 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	7 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Deep basin (20 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Deep basin (20 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Yellow Perch fishing at Forbes Lake

Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 23 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 23 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 20 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	7 to 23 ft	dawn	Deep basin (20 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	7 to 23 ft	midday	Deep basin (20 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	7 to 23 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (20 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 20 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 20 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 10 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft

Forbes Lake fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Washington waters are set by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Forbes Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Washington fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Forbes Lake?

Forbes Lake is about 23 ft (7 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Forbes Lake?

Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, yellow perch on Forbes Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Forbes Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Forbes Lake?

For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Forbes Lake?

Fishing on Forbes Lake is regulated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official Washington regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Phillips Lake 4 mi · Spencer Lake 5 mi · Isabella Lake 7 mi · Lake Limerick 7 mi · Island Lake 8 mi · Mason Lake 10 mi · Benson Lake 10 mi · Bay Lake 11 mi · Summit Lake 11 mi · Chambers Lake 13 mi · Lost Lake 13 mi · Ward Lake 13 mi

See how Forbes Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Washington · best yellow perch lakes in Washington · best brown trout lakes in Washington · best brook trout lakes in Washington

Browse all Washington fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.