One late summer day, we made a last minute decision to pack the trout fishing gear in the truck and head into the Cascade Mountains. A moderate hike to an Alpine Lake that hosts trout was on the menu. And after a little research on the Washington Trails Association website, we landed on Talapus Lake.
The trailhead is located off Interstate 90 at exit 45, about fifteen minutes east of North Bend, Washington. We parked at the trailhead and hit the trail with light packs and a minimal amount of fishing gear. The trail was well maintained and an relatively easy 3 mile hike to the lake. Although, I will say that we were not alone. Because it is a popular day hike, there were plenty of other folks out enjoying a day on the trail. Elevation gain is around 1,200′ so there are some moderately steep stretches of trail.
We had light and packable trout rods. I spun up 6 pound test line, which would give us decent casting distance with small spoons. That day, the ticket was a 1/8 oz Kastmaster Spoon. Our best lure colors were copper and gold. Mitch and I caught a couple beautiful Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout in a couple hours. I have heard there are also Coastal Cutthroat Trout in Talapus, but we didn’t see any that day.
I’d definitely recommend Talapus for a day hike in the Cascades!
The Ultimate Guide to Snoqualmie River Trout Fishing
