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Fishing Ward Lake: what the data says
65-acre lake near Olympia. The lake tops out around 67 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Ward Lake
In spring, cutthroat trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 40 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for fall cutthroat trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Kokanee fishing at Ward Lake
Spring kokanee on Ward Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 30 ft. They move out to 20 to 67 ft in summer and finish the year down in 17 to 67 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 66 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 20 to 67 ft | dawn | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 17 to 67 ft | dawn | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Ward Lake
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 66 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 45 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 14 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 12 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 11 ft
Common questions
How deep is Ward Lake?
Ward Lake is about 67 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Ward Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, kokanee, cutthroat trout on Ward Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Ward Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 66 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Ward Lake?
For cutthroat 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.
Nearby waters
Chambers Lake · Hicks Lake · Pattison Lake · Long Lake · Black Lake · Offutt Lake
See how Ward Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Washington · best kokanee lakes in Washington · best cutthroat trout lakes in Washington
Browse all Washington fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.