How to Fish Lake Washington (6): Best Patterns & Techniques | Omnia Fishing

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Lake Washington (6)

Published: Nov 1, 2018Updated: Apr 18, 2025

Table of Contents

Spring Fishing Patterns on Lake Washington (6)

Season	Species	Water Temp	Behavioral Patterns	Key Locations	Best Techniques	Forage Types	Bait Colors
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	58-65	Pre-spawn bass are actively feeding and moving shallow, staging near spawning areas and responding aggressively to moving baits as evidenced by recent chatterbait success Fish are utilizing docks as primary staging areas, likely due to the stable structure and warming effect of dark surfaces in spring	Docks, particularly those in protected areas or near potential spawning flats Shallow areas with mixed vegetation, especially near deeper water access Protected coves and points with emerging vegetation	Bladed Jigs worked with moderate speed around docks and vegetation Spinnerbaits parallel to shoreline structure Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around dock posts and visible cover	Minnows, as confirmed by recent fishing reports Bluegill, particularly around dock areas	Bold Striped Patterns Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	55-65	Smallmouth bass are actively moving into pre-spawn staging areas, focusing on hard bottom areas in 3-12 foot depth range Fish are feeding aggressively but remaining close to potential spawning areas, particularly around isolated rocks and hard spots	Rock piles and reefs in 8-12 foot depth range Isolated rocks and hard spots in 3-8 foot depth range Secondary points with gravel or rock bottom composition	Drop Shot with slow, subtle presentations Ned Rigs worked slowly over rock and gravel areas Small soft body swimbaits with steady retrieves	Perch Small baitfish	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Walleye	38-48	Walleye transitioning from winter areas to shallow spawning locations, staging on transitional structure Pre-spawn feeding activity increases, with fish actively pursuing forage during dawn and dusk periods in stained water	Rocky points and reefs adjacent to spawning areas Transition areas between shallow flats and deeper water Hard-bottom areas near weed edges in 6-12 feet	Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom transitions Live Bait Rigs with minnows near structure Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with slow presentations	Perch concentrating in pre-spawn areas Minnows in shallow transitional areas Small bluegills near emerging weed growth	Chartreuse Colors Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals
Spring (Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	62-64	Fish actively moving into shallow spawning areas, with males establishing and guarding beds while females stage nearby. Recent reports confirm bedding activity has begun. Feeding activity increases during warmer portions of day when water temperatures rise, as noted in reports showing better afternoon success	Protected shallow areas near docks where bedding activity has been observed Rock piles in spawning areas, as mentioned in recent successful reports Lily pad fields where sight fishing opportunities exist	Wacky Rigs for sight fishing spawning bass, as proven effective in recent reports Finesse Jigs around docks and structure, showing success with current patterns Bladed Jigs for covering water between spawning areas	Bluegill - consistently mentioned in recent reports as primary forage General Panfish - typical spring forage around spawning areas	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	60-70	Smallmouth bass are in active spawning phase, with fish establishing and protecting nests in shallow water areas with hard bottom composition Fish are stacked up in specific areas, particularly around isolated rock clumps and sparse weed edges in 4-10 foot depth range	Sand/gravel flats in 4-8 feet of water where spawning activity is occurring Isolated rock piles with nearby sparse weeds in 4-10 foot range Protected shallow bays with hard bottom composition	Drop Shot with slow, subtle presentations - shaking in place over target areas Ned Rigs worked slowly around spawning flats and rock piles Tubes dragged slowly across hard bottom areas	Minnows gathering in spawning areas Small crayfish emerging in rocky areas	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals
Spring (Spawn)	Walleye	42-52	Walleye moving into shallow rocky areas and gravel flats for spawning activity Post-spawn fish staging near drop-offs adjacent to spawning areas More active during low-light periods due to stained water conditions (1.1m secchi)	Rock piles and reefs in 3-8 foot depth range Gravel points and shoreline areas with firm bottom Drop-offs adjacent to spawning areas for staging fish	Live Bait Rigs with slow presentations Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') Blade Baits worked slowly near bottom	Small perch in shallow areas Minnows gathering near spawning areas Bluegills starting to move shallow	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Dark Neutrals
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	65-73	Post-spawn largemouth are actively feeding, recuperating energy after spawning, with larger fish scattered in deeper weeds (6-12ft) while smaller fish remain shallow around docks and reeds Fish showing aggressive feeding behavior during overcast conditions, particularly around shallow cover, and responding well to both moving baits and slower presentations	Docks with adjacent pencil reeds, particularly those near deeper water Submerged vegetation in 6-12 foot range Shallow rocky areas near bluegill spawning beds	Swim Jigs worked at varying speeds through reeds and around docks Buzzbaits and hollow body frogs during overcast conditions Flipping/Pitching jigs and Texas rigs to precise targets under docks and in vegetation	Bluegill, particularly around spawning beds Minnows in and around vegetation	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	65-75	Post-spawn smallmouth bass are actively feeding to recover energy, primarily utilizing hard-bottom areas in 6-10 foot depth range Fish are showing preference for slower presentations on bottom, indicating a methodical feeding pattern typical of post-spawn recovery	Rock humps and reefs in 6-10 foot depth range Hard bottom transitions near sparse weed growth Main lake points with rock or gravel composition	Ned Rigs worked slowly along bottom structure Drop Shot with finesse presentations Tubes dragged on rock and gravel areas	Smaller bottom-dwelling prey like crayfish Young of year baitfish Perch relating to rock structure	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Walleye	48-62	Post-spawn walleyes are transitioning from spawning areas to early-summer feeding locations, actively feeding to recover energy Fish are particularly active during low-light periods due to the stained water conditions (3.6ft visibility) Moving between shallow feeding areas and adjacent deeper water, following baitfish movements	Rock piles and reefs transitioning to deeper water, especially those near spawning areas Emerging weed edges in 8-12 foot depths Points and inside turns of bays where walleye can ambush prey	Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along bottom transitions Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with minnows during prime feeding periods Lipless Crankbaits over emerging vegetation	Perch concentrating near developing weed growth Minnows schooling in warming shallows Bluegills beginning to establish in shallow vegetation	Chartreuse Colors Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals

Summer Fishing Patterns

Season	Species	Water Temp	Behavioral Patterns	Key Locations	Best Techniques	Forage Types	Bait Colors
Summer	Largemouth Bass	74-81	Bass are actively feeding in and around vegetation edges and dock areas, showing preference for shallow water during early/late day and shifting to deeper weed edges during peak heat Fish are exhibiting subtle feeding behaviors, with light bites requiring careful bite detection, especially in reed areas	Mixed vegetation (coontail, curly leaf) edges in 8-10 feet of water Shallow reed lines in 2-5 feet of water Docks with adjacent vegetation or gravel/sand transitions	Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) worked slowly in vegetation Grass Jigs pitched to reeds and dock edges Bladed Jigs worked along outside weed edges	Crawfish in shallow areas near hard bottom transitions Bluegill relating to vegetation edges	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors
Summer	Smallmouth Bass	76-83	Actively feeding on scattered rock/hard bottom areas near weeds in 4-12 foot range, with increased activity during lower light periods Responding best to slow, subtle presentations due to warm water conditions, particularly around mid-depth humps and grass edges	Hard-bottom humps with sparse weed growth in 4-12 foot range Rock piles and gravel areas adjacent to weed edges Shallow flats with mixed rock and vegetation in 2-6 foot range	Drop Shot worked extremely slowly across hard bottom areas Ned Rigs with subtle rod pops Bladed Jigs worked over weed tops and edges	Bluegill holding in and around weed edges Crawfish on hard bottom areas Small baitfish roaming shallow flats	Chartreuse Colors Pink Colors Dark Neutrals
Summer	Walleye	72-82	Walleyes are suspending in deeper water during summer heat, relating to thermocline development and moving shallower during low light periods Actively feeding on young-of-year perch and other baitfish in open water and along weed edges	Mid-depth open water basin areas (10-19 feet) where walleyes suspend with baitfish Weed edges adjacent to deeper water, especially during lower light periods Rock piles and reefs near deep water access	Trolling Mid Depth (10-19') with crankbaits to cover water and target suspended fish Live Bait Rigs along weed edges and structure transitions Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') when fish are found concentrated	Young-of-year Perch Bluegills Various Minnow Species	Bold Striped Patterns Chartreuse Colors Vibrant Craw Colors

Fall Fishing Guide for Lake Washington (6)

Season	Species	Water Temp	Behavioral Patterns	Key Locations	Best Techniques	Forage Types	Bait Colors
Fall	Largemouth Bass	52-58	Actively feeding on crawfish in and around remaining green vegetation, with increased activity in 5-6 foot depth range as water cools Following traditional fall pattern of relating to dying vegetation edges while transitioning to harder structure	Green weed edges in 5-6 foot depth range Remaining patches of healthy submerged vegetation Hard structure near dying weed edges	Finesse Jigs worked slowly through remaining vegetation Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') paralleling weed edges Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) targeting isolated weed clumps	Crawfish active in remaining vegetation Bluegill relating to weed edges	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Fall	Smallmouth Bass	52-68	Actively feeding on available forage to build reserves for winter, with increased activity during warming afternoon periods Transitioning from shallow summer patterns to deeper, more structure-oriented locations, following baitfish movements	Rock piles and reefs in 8-12 foot depth range with nearby deep water access Main lake points with hard bottom structure Isolated weed patches adjacent to hard bottom areas in 4-8 foot range	Drop Shot with slow, methodical presentations on deeper structure Ned Rigs worked along rock/gravel transitions Blade Baits for actively feeding fish around baitfish schools	Yellow Perch schooling in mid-depth ranges Small baitfish (minnows) congregating near structure Remaining crayfish on hard bottom areas	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Fall	Walleye	48-65	Walleyes actively feeding on perch and other baitfish, with increased activity during low-light periods due to stained water conditions Fish transitioning from summer deep water patterns to shallower feeding areas, following baitfish movements More aggressive feeding behavior as fish build energy reserves for winter	Weed edges adjacent to deeper water, particularly dying vegetation that's releasing baitfish Rock piles and reefs in 8-15 foot depth range Points and inside turns where shallow and deep water meet	Live Bait Rigs worked along structure transitions Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') for suspended fish Trolling Mid Depth (10-19') along weed edges and structure Lipless Crankbaits near dying weed edges	Perch concentrating near weed edges Small bluegills in remaining vegetation Minnows schooling in deeper water	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Dark Neutrals

Winter & Ice Fishing Patterns

Season	Species	Water Temp	Behavioral Patterns	Key Locations	Best Techniques	Forage Types	Bait Colors
Winter	Walleye	42-52	Actively feeding during low-light periods, especially near structure transitions, due to stained water conditions (3.6ft visibility) making them more comfortable hunting throughout the day Suspending in deeper water near structure edges, moving shallow to feed on perch and other baitfish during prime periods	Rock piles and reefs in 10-15 foot depth range where they transition to deeper water Edges of dying weed beds near points and bays Deep holes adjacent to shallow feeding flats	Blade Baits worked vertically along structure edges Live Bait Rigs with larger minnows near bottom transitions Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') with aggressive jigging cadence	Perch concentrating near structure Smaller bluegills around remaining vegetation Minnows schooling near depth changes	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Ice	Walleye	34-39	Walleye active near bottom in primary feeding areas, particularly during dawn and dusk periods Fish concentrate on structure adjacent to deeper basins, moving between feeding and resting areas	Rock piles and reefs near deeper water transitions Edges of weed flats adjacent to deeper basins Mid-depth flats with scattered hard bottom structure	Ice Fishing Jigs worked with subtle movements near bottom Ice Fishing Spoons with aggressive flash for attracting fish Ice Fishing Tip-Ups set at varying depths to pattern fish	Perch schooling near structure Small bluegills in and around remaining weed edges Minnows concentrated in deeper water areas	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors

Key Seasonal Structures in Lake Washington (6)

Season	Species	Primary Structure	Secondary Structure
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Docks, particularly those in protected areas or near potential spawning flats	Shallow areas with mixed vegetation, especially near deeper water access
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Rock piles and reefs in 8-12 foot depth range	Isolated rocks and hard spots in 3-8 foot depth range
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Walleye	Rocky points and reefs adjacent to spawning areas	Transition areas between shallow flats and deeper water
Spring (Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Protected shallow areas near docks where bedding activity has been observed	Rock piles in spawning areas, as mentioned in recent successful reports
Spring (Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Sand/gravel flats in 4-8 feet of water where spawning activity is occurring	Isolated rock piles with nearby sparse weeds in 4-10 foot range
Spring (Spawn)	Walleye	Rock piles and reefs in 3-8 foot depth range	Gravel points and shoreline areas with firm bottom
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Docks with adjacent pencil reeds, particularly those near deeper water	Submerged vegetation in 6-12 foot range
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Rock humps and reefs in 6-10 foot depth range	Hard bottom transitions near sparse weed growth
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Walleye	Rock piles and reefs transitioning to deeper water, especially those near spawning areas	Emerging weed edges in 8-12 foot depths
Summer	Largemouth Bass	Mixed vegetation (coontail, curly leaf) edges in 8-10 feet of water	Shallow reed lines in 2-5 feet of water
Summer	Smallmouth Bass	Hard-bottom humps with sparse weed growth in 4-12 foot range	Rock piles and gravel areas adjacent to weed edges
Summer	Walleye	Mid-depth open water basin areas (10-19 feet) where walleyes suspend with baitfish	Weed edges adjacent to deeper water, especially during lower light periods
Fall	Largemouth Bass	Green weed edges in 5-6 foot depth range	Remaining patches of healthy submerged vegetation
Fall	Smallmouth Bass	Rock piles and reefs in 8-12 foot depth range with nearby deep water access	Main lake points with hard bottom structure
Fall	Walleye	Weed edges adjacent to deeper water, particularly dying vegetation that's releasing baitfish	Rock piles and reefs in 8-15 foot depth range
Winter	Walleye	Rock piles and reefs in 10-15 foot depth range where they transition to deeper water	Edges of dying weed beds near points and bays
Ice	Walleye	Rock piles and reefs near deeper water transitions	Edges of weed flats adjacent to deeper basins

Primary Forage by Season

Season	Species	Primary Forage	Secondary Forage
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Minnows, as confirmed by recent fishing reports	Bluegill, particularly around dock areas
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Perch	Small baitfish
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Walleye	Perch concentrating in pre-spawn areas	Minnows in shallow transitional areas
Spring (Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Bluegill - consistently mentioned in recent reports as primary forage	General Panfish - typical spring forage around spawning areas
Spring (Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Minnows gathering in spawning areas	Small crayfish emerging in rocky areas
Spring (Spawn)	Walleye	Small perch in shallow areas	Minnows gathering near spawning areas
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Bluegill, particularly around spawning beds	Minnows in and around vegetation
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Smaller bottom-dwelling prey like crayfish	Young of year baitfish
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Walleye	Perch concentrating near developing weed growth	Minnows schooling in warming shallows
Summer	Largemouth Bass	Crawfish in shallow areas near hard bottom transitions	Bluegill relating to vegetation edges
Summer	Smallmouth Bass	Bluegill holding in and around weed edges	Crawfish on hard bottom areas
Summer	Walleye	Young-of-year Perch	Bluegills
Fall	Largemouth Bass	Crawfish active in remaining vegetation	Bluegill relating to weed edges
Fall	Smallmouth Bass	Yellow Perch schooling in mid-depth ranges	Small baitfish (minnows) congregating near structure
Fall	Walleye	Perch concentrating near weed edges	Small bluegills in remaining vegetation
Winter	Walleye	Perch concentrating near structure	Smaller bluegills around remaining vegetation
Ice	Walleye	Perch schooling near structure	Small bluegills in and around remaining weed edges

Bait Colors by Season for Lake Washington (6)

Season	Species	Bait Colors
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Bold Striped Patterns Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Walleye	Chartreuse Colors Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals
Spring (Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals
Spring (Spawn)	Walleye	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Dark Neutrals
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Smallmouth Bass	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Walleye	Chartreuse Colors Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals
Summer	Largemouth Bass	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors
Summer	Smallmouth Bass	Chartreuse Colors Pink Colors Dark Neutrals
Summer	Walleye	Bold Striped Patterns Chartreuse Colors Vibrant Craw Colors
Fall	Largemouth Bass	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Fall	Smallmouth Bass	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Fall	Walleye	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Dark Neutrals
Winter	Walleye	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Ice	Walleye	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors

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