16 Best Smallmouth Bass Fishing Spots in Washington

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There are hundreds of places in Washington where fishing for smallmouth bass can at times be outrageously good, but we’ll attempt to call special attention to a handful of the very best in locations across the state.

Smallmouth bass can be caught year-round, if regulations allow, but fishing for these hard-fighting bronzebacks tends to really ramp up in early to mid-spring.

Great catch rates will then continue through late spring, summer and on into September and October in many waters.

Check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) link at the bottom of this article for additional information, including fishing regulations.

These fish are aggressive predators, and lures that imitate favorite foods including crayfish and forage fish will often get the job done.

Sometimes the old axiom of big lure equals big fish is good advice for trophy seekers.

Bait including nightcrawlers also will catch plenty of smallmouth, but this method may result in smaller fish and also increases the odds of fatal hookups.

Smallmouth are often associated with hard-bottom structure and rocks, including boulders, outcroppings, islands and submerged humps, as well as easily identifiable man-made structures including rip-rap, dam faces and piers and pilings.

It’s also worth noting that Washington has issued statewide consumption advisories for smallmouth bass (as well as other freshwater bass), with specific suggestions on the amount of these fish it is considered same to eat.

There also are local consumption guidelines related to contaminants in certain waters, including some for the spots listed below. We suggest you review guidelines here before keeping fish to eat.

Where to Catch Smallmouth Bass in Washington

We’ve arranged this article by dividing the best smallmouth bass waters into three categories. First we’ll tackle the best smallmouth fishing on the mainstem Columbia River and its major reservoirs, which together comprise some of the best smallmouth fishing in the world. Then we’ll look at other excellent waters on each side of the Cascade Mountains.

Where available, we’ll link you to specific articles about those locations so you can learn more about your favorite destinations.

After the very best smallmouth fisheries, we list some additional waters where smallmouth bass fishing is usually at least good and at times can rival the top spots in this article. For those, we’ve also linked you to articles so you can learn more.

Columbia River Smallmouth Bass

The West’s largest river is well known for salmon, steelhead, walleye and other species, but it’s wise to note that this river very often makes the national best bass fishing lists, thanks to its abundant and often big smallmouth bass spread out over literally hundreds of miles.

Taken as a whole, there are very few bodies of water across the United States with as many smallmouth bass.

The river’s size is both a strength and a weakness.

On the positive side, you’ll have tons of prime bass habitat to yourself in just about every section of river, maybe without a lot of travel.

And the smallmouths are really well distributed here, with good numbers and larger specimens located in most spots from below Vancouver clear up to northern Washington. Smallmouth bass over 8 pounds have been caught in the river.

The modern river is largely divided into reservoirs formed by a massive system of hydroelectric and irrigation dams, but there are several free-flowing sections as well.

On the down side, though, this big water can be challenging for those unfamiliar with the best holding spots, so it takes some effort to get to know the very best spots to cast.

Also, there are dangers here, including whipping wind and tricky currents in some locations, so respect the river.

All of those huge pools behind the dams hold excellent populations of smallmouth worthy of your attention, but the ones we discuss below are worthy of extra attention when it comes to bronze-colored bass.

We’ll start upriver near Canada and go with the flow toward the Pacific Ocean.

Lake Roosevelt (Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake)

This massive, 150-mile reservoir stretching from the magnificent Grand Coulee Dam clear to British Columbia is loaded with smallmouth bass, though they don’t necessarily get the same attention as the triploid rainbow trout, kokanee and walleye found in this multi-faceted fishery.

This is one of the better smallmouth bass fisheries for eastern Washington, and the Spokane River Arm is within comfortable reach of Spokane and is a good place to start along with the main reservoir.

Smallmouths are widespread in the main reservoir, though the lower reaches below the Spokane Arm tend to hold bigger numbers.

Fish rocky structures for bronzebacks. In the spring, they are more likely to be in shallower water. At other times, especially in bright daylight, you’ll probably do better finding deeper rockpiles, ledges and similar habitat. That’s especially true for the bigger bass, while the little guys are almost always easy to catch during warmer months.

If you fish deep enough, you might catch one of Washington’s strangest-looking (and tastiest) species, the burbot (a.k.a. freshwater ling).

Hanford Reach

This is where that 8.75-pound state record came from, although it was decades ago now. But still, there are bass pushing 7 and 8 pounds in this part of the river and elsewhere, and chunky 5-pounders are relatively common if you fish these waters somewhat regularly.

The Hanford Reach, located north of the Tri-Cities, stands out across Eastern Washington because it’s the only true free-flowing section of the Columbia River left here. The remainder of the river is contained behind dams.

The bulk of the Hanford Reach requires a long boat ride to reach. Definitely do your homework before floating this untamed section, or better yet go with an experienced guide, at least on your first trip.

Smallmouth bass found in flowing water will take advantage of current breaks and pools. They don’t want to fight significant current all day long, but if they can dart out from behind a rock or current edge to nab a passing small fish or crayfish in the faster-moving water, that’s ideal.

Lake Wallula (McNary Pool)

Lake Wallula stretching from the Tri-Cities area down to the Oregon state line is often considered among the very best smallmouth bass fisheries on the entire river.

This is a large reservoir, wider in spots than most of the river system, and chock full of bass. This is one of the more popular bass tournament stops around as well, with so many smallmouths and a smattering of largemouth bass as well.

Work similar waters as you would elsewhere in the Columbia River, looking for holding patterns as you start to catch fish that will point you to better catch rates at that time.

Both the Snake and Yakima rivers enter the Columbia in Lake Wallula, and these areas can be quite good. You can also venture up into the lower tributary rivers for good smallmouth bass fishing.

Lake Wallula also is among the best walleye fisheries in Washington.

Lake Umatilla (John Day Pool)

You’ll find similar success here as you will upriver, with outstanding numbers of bass throughout this pool, which stretches from the John Day Dam just upriver from Maryhill up to about Umatilla, Oregon.

For most Washington residents, it’s a bit more remote than Lake Wallula, but that also can be a draw. There is more human population on the Oregon side here, though, in the Hermiston area. (Not surprisingly, this water also rates among the best smallmouth bass fishing spots in Oregon.) But, honestly, there are so many more bass than bass anglers, you won’t have a problem there.

Where you might have an issue is with the winds. This section runs east-west, downriver from where the Columbia makes a massive turn. That puts this reservoir in a windy pipeline.

Consider fishing early in the day, when winds are more likely (but not guaranteed) to be calmer. Fairly often you’ll also get a calmer window at dusk, so be prepared to fish when the water is at its calmest. You’ll catch more if you’re not fighting the wind-driven waves, and you’ll be safer.

Ducking behind the upstream side of the point of land across from Paterson (the point includes the Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge) can at times provide some protection from the wind.

That all said, the bass don’t really mind what’s going on up on the surface. They’re down there slurping up crayfish and juvenile fish of all types, waiting for your soft plastic or crankbait to trick them into an aggressive strike.

This pool offers multiple fishing options beyond bass, including panfish such as yellow perch and crappe and some increasingly good channel catfish fishing.

Lake Celilo (The Dalles Pool)

This reservoir begins at The Dalles Dam and reaches up to the John Day Dam, and it offers a similarly excellent bass fishery as its neighboring Columbia River pools.

Miller Island and a fair number of smaller islands and underwater humps and ledges add to the rocky holding water along the banks of this reservoir.

Maryhill State Park is a good spot for a base camp if you’re staying overnight here, with good water to be found in either direction.

The wind here can also be fierce, but there are a few spots to find at least some breaks from moderate winds. If things get too bad, give Horsethief Lake a try. It’s at Columbia Hills Historical State Park on the lower end of this reservoir.

Note that there can be some special regulations in force around the mouth of the Deschutes River (on the Oregon side) designed to protect migrating fish such as summer steelhead.

Lake Bonneville (Bonneville Pool)

This pool includes the transition between the greener Cascades and the dryer landscapes to the east.

Formed by the massive Bonneville Dam near Stevenson, this pool is better known for salmon fishing, especially at the mouths of tributaries like the famous Drano Lake between Carson and White Salmon. It’s also a pretty good sturgeon fishery.

But even though smallmouth bass aren’t always top-billed around here, they love the rocky structures and plentiful forage found in this stretch through the Columbia River Gorge.

Work over the rocky points, coves and islands and you’re bound to come up with bass. There’s some good water between Carson and Stevenson, and also in the upper pool.

The river’s turns and coves may give you some relief from the Columbia Gorge’s famous winds, which draw more wind surfers and kite boarders than bassers for much of the summer. Which is a shame, because there are lots of bass.

Lower Columbia River

Below Bonneville Dam, the Columbia River is free of dams all the way to the Pacific Ocean. It’s also quite full of smallmouth bass, though only a modest number of anglers chase them.

Smallmouths can be found from the dam clear down until saltwater mixes into the river in the estuary, but the very best fishing for them is between Vancouver and the Columbia River Gorge. The lower river tends to have sandy bottoms that are less appealing to rock-loving smallmouth bass.

Above Interstate 5 through Vancouver, Camas and Washougal, the habitat turns increasingly to rocky shorelines and islands, along with pilings, docks and other structures that also will hold bass.

Up into the Columbia River Gorge, there tends to be more concentrated current because the river is funneled into a narrower area, but there are lots of islands, rock piles and rocky shorelines where smallmouth hold in good numbers.

The current here is constant, with the highest flow often found in the spring when snowmelt in the vast watershed is making its way downriver. That can coincide with the spawn, so look for bass not only ducking out of the heavy current but also finding shallower water more suitable to finning out a nest.

In the summer and early fall, the Columbia’s flows tend to moderate and stabilize, but don’t let it fool you because it’s still powerful. It can also turn windy in a heartbeat. (Wear a life jacket!)

Look for spots where they can get comfortably out of the current to conserve their energy, but be able to rush out and swallow a passing baitfish or scoop a crayfish out of the rocks.

In summer and early fall, the Columbia River reaches its highest temperatures and the sunlight is at its brightest. Look for bass to hold around deeper structures, especially during the daylight. I’ve caught bass at 30 feet or below in the Columbia River area, including while working a small jig fishing for crappie around the base of deep pilings.

They will move into shallower water to feed closer to sunset and sunrise.

Plastics such as jigs and Senkos can work very well, and diving crankbaits and other lures are effective if you can get them to the fish.

A boat will serve you well covering this big water, but there are a few parks and public shorelines where bass can be caught from the bank, especially in low-light conditions.

The lower Columbia River is excellent for all kinds of gamefish, including salmon of course, but also steelhead, walleye, panfish, enormous sturgeon and a massive spring run of American shad.

More Columbia River Fishing

Check out our comprehensive guide to fishing in the Columbia River. That article covers all the river’s major game fish and links to more specific information about catching whatever you are trying to hook.

Western Washington Smallmouth Bass

The following excellent smallmouth waters are located in Western Washington, close by to all of the major cities near the Interstate 5 corridor.

Alder Lake

This Tacoma Power reservoir on the Nisqually River a little over an hour from either Tacoma or Olympia is probably best known as a kokanee fishing destination.

That said, bass anglers are increasingly discovering this spot due to its growing population of feisty smallmouth bass, along with some largemouths. The bass have been attracting some tournaments along with individual anglers.

As usual, seek out the rocky structure for smallmouths. Poke around shallower areas as the the pre-spawn and spawning periods in the spring, and then follow the bass deeper during the warmer months.

More: Alder Lake Fishing

Riffe Lake

As with Alder Lake, a freshwater salmon gets much of the angling glory at this large power-generating reservoir on the Cowlitz River. But here it’s landlocked coho salmon who are the top quarry.

No matter, the best bass anglers gladly give the deep middle of Riffe Lake over to the coho chasers and work the rocky points and coves full of bass along the many miles of shoreline.

The usual crayfish imitating soft plastics will get the job done, and so will lures that imitate an injured coho or trout, like a skittering Senko or a swimbait.

More: Riffe Lake Fishing

Sammamish, Lake

Lake Sammamish is quite a large natural lake often fished for wild cutthroat trout, but if you live in the Seattle area and want to catch smallmouth bass, you really don’t have to go any further than here or our next suggestion.

I’d give Lake Sammamish a slight edge over Lake Washington if for no other reason than it’s not quite so massive, not quite so hard to learn, and not quite so urban as its neighbor.

You can catch bass here any month of the year, but to be honest it’s not easy during the coldest months.

By about April things are heating up and the bass are moving into shallower water and thinking about nothing other than spawning, gobbling up food and protecting nesting sites.

So spring is prime time around here, but you can catch bass at Lake Sammamish all year long. The proximity to Puget Sound and moderate coastal temperatures helps keep the bass and the bass fishermen a bit more comfortable and ready for action.

There isn’t as much rocky structure here as there are in many prime smallmouth bass lakes and rivers, but no matter, seek out structure and you’ll eventually find bass. Figure out their depth and preferred areas for the day, and you’ll find plenty more bass.

For starters, there are some points around the lake as well as more boat docks than you can count.

The usual bass-catching tactics should get the job done.

A boat will help you reach a lot more holding water. If you are launching, start your day at Lake Sammamish State Park on the south end.

More: Lake Sammamish Fishing

Washington, Lake

It might be hard to believe, but this sprawling lake stuck between Seattle and Bellevue in the heart of Washington’s largest population center is nationally known for smallmouth bass.

Smallmouth bass fishing can be quite good in this nearly 22,000-acre lake throughout spring, summer and into early fall, with the very best angling typically occurring around May and June.

While there is lots of bank access, a boat will come in handy. Good public launches are available, and the WDFW lists ramps at Kenmore, Magnuson Park and Gene Coulon Park in the Renton area and Rainier Beach Park in that community.

You’ll find fishing piers in Waverly, Marin and Old Ship Museum parks in the Kirkland area, Gene Coulon in Renton, Seward Park on the southwest side and Luther Burbank Park on northern Mercer Island.

The bass fishing habitats and habits here are similar to those found in Lake Sammamish, but there’s just a whole lot more. Points, coves, bridge abutments and private docks are everywhere you look for the boater (along with multiple launch sites).

My advice is to narrow yourself down to a section of the lake and get to know its best water during the seasons.

Our complete guide to fishing at Lake Washington linked below provides a good dose of additional fishing information as well as access details.

More: Lake Washington Fishing

Whatcom, Lake

This Bellingham-area lake should be on your radar if you like to fish in far northwestern Washington.

While it’s a mixed-bass lake with a moderate number of big largemouths, tournament bags here often include a majority of football-shaped smallmouths. And smallmouths are typically more numerous and easier to find than their largemouth kin in this lake.

Lake Whatcom is a seasonal lake opening in late April. When the opener comes around, smallmouth bass are likely to already be venturing into shallower water to scope out spawning sites and begin protecting nesting areas.

The opener into May and June should provide the very best fishing opportunity, but be sure to release those big spawning bass to maintain the fishery.

You’ll find bass through the open season holding on structures at varying depths, depending on the time of day and water temperature.

Rocky structures, docks and other habitats will hold smallmouths here.

More: Lake Whatcom Fishing

Central and Eastern Washington Smallmouth Bass

Banks Lake 

This is a giant reservoir stretching nearly 30 miles south from around Grand Coulee Dam in central Washington. And it has absolutely tons of smallmouth bass throughout its nearly 27,000 acres.

Since they have become established here, the number of smallmouth has never been a problem.

At times there aren’t as many trophy-sized fish as there are in other top waters around the state.

The best smallmouth fishing typically gets rolling in about April and holds up well through summer and into the early part of fall.

There are several good access points, including the large Steamboat Rock State Park on the northeastern side and Coulee Playfield in Electric City.

Banks Lake also has a lower but decent population of largemouth bass, but these green cousins can grow even larger.

There also are other thriving fisheries here, including some of the better fisheries in Washington when it comes to kokanee and walleye.

More: Banks Lake Fishing

Billy Clapp Lake

Here’s one that not everyone knows about. Billy Clapp Lake is between Banks Lake and Moses Lake and gets far less attention than either of its bigger neighbors.

But this oasis in an otherwise arid landscape is full of smallmouth bass.

It’s also full of rocky structure beloved by the above-mentioned smallmouth bass. Fish the points and around the island.

Whether you like finesse baits or firing a buzzbait toward the rocks like a missile, you’re bound to hook into smallmouth bass here. You probably won’t catch the state record, but there’s a reasonable chance you’ll bring a 4-pounder to the net.

More: Billy Clapp Lake Fishing

Potholes Reservoir 

This is another big reservoir in central Washington, near the city of Moses Lake and south of the previously listed Banks Lake.

Potholes is at the very top of many a Washington angler’s list of best bass lakes.

Potholes also gets some love nationally, in large part because it has excellent numbers of big smallmouth and largemouth bass, in addition to several other thriving fisheries.

It’s a destination spot for many Pacific Northwest warm water anglers.

If you’re targeting smallmouth here, look for hard-bottom areas and rocky habitats.

Generally speaking, there is more of this good smallmouth habitat at the open southern end of the reservoir, including along the face of O’Sullivan Dam, Goose Island and various rock piles.

By comparison, largemouth tend to favor the shallower north end, which is chock full of sandy little islands and shallows.

Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics will often do the trick for smallmouth bass; crayfish imitating lures are a pretty good choice to mimic one of their most important food sources.

Besides both species of bass, Potholes Reservoir has excellent fisheries for walleye, trout and panfish.

More: Potholes Reservoir Fishing

Snake River

The biggest Columbia River tributary in Washington state, the Snake River is an incredible smallmouth bass factory well up into Idaho before it eventually transforms into an incredible trout stream.

The Washington stretch is mostly contained behind a series of dams forming a chain of four reservoirs.

The lower reach near the Columbia backs up from Lake Wallula, another fantastic smallmouth fishery we covered in the Columbia River section above.

In Washington, the only truly free-flowing section of this river is from around Clarkston to the state line.

Doesn’t really matter though, river or reservoir, the Snake is chock full of smallmouth bass. Pick your spot and go for it.

Some of the tributaries also are viable smallmouth fisheries in their own right. We’d point especially to the lower Grande Ronde River if you want a remote river experience fishing for smallmouth bass (and steelhead starting in the fall).

More Smallmouth Bass Fishing

The following waters have fair to good fishing for smallmouth bass. The links will take you to detailed articles we have about fishing opportunities at each location.

Catch More Bass

We didn’t go too deeply into HOW to catch smallmouth bass in this article. No worries, we have a full but easy-to-follow guide on bass fishing that will set you up for success.

Also, suppose you want to catch largemouth bass? We have another complete guide that covers lots of great largemouth bass fishing lakes across Washington, including (I bet) something near you.

Washington Resources

WDFW Fishing and Stocking Reports
WDFW Fishing Regulations
National Weather Service forecasts

Here are some sources of information on this topic: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bassmaster’s Top 100 Bass Lakes, ESPN’s 5 Best Bass Lakes and Moon Outdoors’ Washington Fishing guidebook.