Season: Late-April – Late-Sept | Lake Size: 277 acres
By some accounts, Mineral Lake is one of the best trout fishing lakes in Western Washington. It receives a healthy number of plants in the springtime and is usually listed as one of the top picks by the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife for the annual Lowland Lakes Opener in April.
Mineral Lake is located very close to the small town of Mineral. To reach Mineral Lake, get on Hwy. 7 either approaching from Hwy. 12 from the south or from the north via Hwy. 161 passing through Eatonville. Turn east on Mineral Rd. North and proceed two miles to the lake. Anglers are often rewarded with a magnificent view of Mt. Rainier. The fishing season opens the last Saturday in April and runs through September 30th. More than 100,000 fingerling rainbow trout are planted each year, and good fishing is anticipated for trout up to 12 inches long with a few larger ones. In a cooperative venture with Mineral Lake Resort, 15,000 catchable size rainbows were raised in net pens this past winter, to be released for the spring opening. Some large broodstock rainbows will also be planted before the opener, plus triploid rainbows (720 in 2008) and several thousand brown trout. Illegally-introduced largemouth bass are present. The WDFW boating access is limited, so patience is needed when launching. A public fishing dock provides excellent access for all anglers. A private resort provides boat rentals. Disabled accessibility – Level 2. WCT, lgs, two fully-accessible fishing docks with lower guard rails.
Access: Go north from the town of Mineral 0.3 miles on the west side of the lake to boat ramp and parking.