Grimes 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 Grimes 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 Grimes Lake on the board.

Fishing Grimes Lake: what the data says

186-acre lake in Washington. The lake tops out around 64 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.

The outline encloses 185 acres, worked by 4 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (2.1) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. 52% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 1.5 mi long by 0.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. Jameson Lake sits 3 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.

Rainbow Trout fishing at Grimes Lake

When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 29 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Brown Trout fishing at Grimes Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 60 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 29 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	25 to 60 ft	night & dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	5 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	5 to 35 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Brook Trout fishing at Grimes Lake

Come spring, look for brook trout tight to the bank in 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 29 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Yellow Perch fishing at Grimes Lake

In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	12 to 35 ft	midday	Break off the point (29 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Notable structure

Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 54 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 54 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 29 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 16 ft
Secondary point: point, around 16 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft

Grimes Lake stocking report

Date	Species	Count	Size
Oct 14, 2025	Cutthroat trout	8,400	—

Source: WDFW fish-stocking reports, retrieved 2026-08-18.

Grimes 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 Grimes Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Washington fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Grimes Lake?

Grimes Lake is about 64 ft (20 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 Grimes Lake?

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

Where is the best fishing spot on Grimes Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Grimes 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.

Is Grimes Lake stocked with fish?

Yes — per WDFW fish-stocking reports records, Grimes Lake was most recently stocked Oct 14, 2025 with 8,400 cutthroat trout. The full stocking history is listed above.

What are the fishing regulations for Grimes Lake?

Fishing on Grimes 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

Jameson Lake 3 mi · Park Lake 13 mi · Blue Lake 14 mi · Alkali Lake 15 mi · Deep Lake 16 mi · Thompson Lake 23 mi · Soap Lake 23 mi · Alta Lake 26 mi · Roses Lake 29 mi · Wapato Lake 30 mi · Crater Lake 37 mi · Meadow Lake 39 mi

See how Grimes 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.