Fishing at Pine Lake – Sammamish, Washington

I grew up near Pine Lake, so this beautiful suburban lake was a fitting place for me to catch my first trout. It has long been a beloved fishing spot for folks in nearby Redmond, Sammamish, and Issaquah. The lake is 66 acres in size, large enough to get out in a kayak, canoe or raft. Yet, it is a great place to fish from shore as well!

Trout Fishing in Pine Lake

Year after year, the late-April opening day is a fun time to be on the water. Just before fishing season, the lake is planted with catchable-sized Rainbow Trout by the thousands. And everyone out on the lake has a great chance at catching a couple fish. Usually the best time to fish Pine Lake is the first couple weeks of the fishing season. Eventually, as a lot of the spring planted trout are caught, and the ones left start to naturalize and become a little trickier to catch. One of my most memorable catches was a 20” Brown Trout caught late one summer evening, all thanks to a generous lakefront home owner that lent me the use of their small lake boat.

Fishing with Powerbait is the most popular technique early in the season. I like to mold a small orb of Powerbait on a Size 8 egg hook with a 3’-4’ leader. I use a ¼ ounce sliding egg sinker for weight, so that as a trout nibbles at the bait, it won’t feel the resistance of the sinker. This is my ultimate go-to trout fishing rig that can be used from the shore or a small boat! However, when the trout start to wise up to this blatantly artificial offering, I’ve done really well slow trolling a small Woolly Bugger fly, behind a 4/0 dodger, with about 12”-16” of leader.

Pine Lake Sammamish Fishing — Rainbow Trout caught at Pine Lake.

Bass Fishing in Pine Lake

Pine Lake has all that wonderful character that one looks for in a medium sized Bass lake. Small docks ring the entire lake. Which offers ample cover to work with a soft plastic or searching lure like a spinnerbait. Several pockets of lake shore are undeveloped and provide submerged tree limbs, and lily pads during summer. Largemouth Bass are the main focus, but there are rumors of Smallmouth Bass in the lake as well. The lake has a healthy population of crawfish, which is and important food source for bass. The lake also hosts Yellow Perch and Sunfish.

Pine Lake Park Fishing Access

Pine Lake Park is the shining jewel in the City of Sammamish parks system. People have been fishing here for over 100 years, as this used to be a lake resort. King County purchased the resort in the 1960’s and turned into a county park. Then it was transferred to Sammamish when it became a city in 1999.

As you enter the park from 228^th Ave SE, the main drive takes you through a manicured woodland towards parking areas and the lake. Picnic shelters, a playground and public restrooms make this a comfortable place for family time. Great if you have young ones that may not last long on the dock waiting for a fish to bite!

The most interesting feature of this park for us fishers, is the large fishing dock. Although some choose to fish from shore, the dock has quite a bit of capacity. Yet, early-season weekends are busy! Small rafts, kayaks, canoes and car-topper boats can slide into the lake from the park. However, there is no boat launch, nor trailer parking in Pine Lake Park.

Pine Lake Fishing — The Pine Lake Park fishing dock on opening day!

Pine Lake Trout Fishing Tackle

Where is Pine Lake, Washington?

Pine Lake is located about 5 miles north of Issaquah, Washington. From Interstate 90, take exit 17 and proceed north. Take right at SE 43^rd Way and travel up the hill onto the Sammamish Plateau. At SE 24^th Street, take a left into the entrance of the park.