Baker Lake Fishing Guides
A North Cascades reservoir on the Baker River with a trapped-and-hauled sockeye run that produces one of the few inland sockeye fisheries in Washington, set directly beneath Mount Baker.
Guides on the Baker Lake
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About the Baker Lake
Baker Lake lies in the upper Baker River valley in Skagit County, impounded behind Upper Baker Dam and sitting directly beneath the south face of Mount Baker. The setting is as much of the draw as the fishing. The lake is long, narrow and deep, walled by steep forested slopes, and on a clear day the volcano stands at the head of it. The gauge at the dam reports lake elevation and precipitation.
The fishery that sets Baker apart is sockeye salmon. Adult sockeye returning to the Baker system are intercepted at a trap on the lower river and hauled upstream by truck into the lake, where they hold through the summer before spawning. That program supports a recreational sockeye fishery in freshwater, which is uncommon in Washington outside a handful of systems, and it draws boats from across the state when the run is strong enough for the season to open.
Sockeye are fished by trolling small dodger and squid or bare-hook setups at depth, and the technique is specific enough that most newcomers do better hiring a guide or watching the local fleet for a day. Kokanee, the landlocked form, are also present. Rainbow trout and cutthroat trout are resident, mountain whitefish are common, and Dolly Varden and bull trout occupy the system under restrictive rules that anglers need to read before fishing.
Because the lake is a working reservoir, the pool rises and falls through the season and ramps can go marginal at low water. The elevation reading is the practical way to know what to expect before towing a boat up the valley.
Access is by the Baker Lake Road out of Concrete, with Forest Service campgrounds and two main launches.
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The photo at the top of this page is not Baker Lake.
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Pool right now
- 24 hours+0.12 ft ↑ rising
Reading taken 3h ago at USGS 12191600, BAKER LAKE AT UPPER BAKER DAM NEAR CONCRETE, WA. Elevation is the surface of the lake above the survey datum, not depth. Source.
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Access
Concrete - the nearest town on Highway 20, with fuel, groceries and lodging.
Upper Baker Dam - the gauge location at the lake outlet.
Horseshoe Cove - a Forest Service campground and boat launch on the west shore.
Kulshan Campground - a developed launch and campground near the dam.
Baker Lake Road - the paved access running north from Concrete up the valley.
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest - public land surrounding the entire lake.
Skagit River - the celebrated mainstem river downstream, with its own fisheries.
Seasons
Spring: cold and quiet, with resident trout and whitefish the realistic targets as the pool refills.
Summer: the sockeye season when it opens, with the trolling fleet concentrated and the fishing intense.
Fall: sockeye finish spawning, pressure drops sharply and resident trout fishing improves.
Winter: the road and campgrounds go quiet, with weather and drawdown limiting practical access.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Baker Lake?
Anglers target Bull Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Dolly Varden, Kokanee Salmon, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout, Sockeye Salmon on the Baker Lake in Washington.
Where can you access the Baker Lake?
Concrete - the nearest town on Highway 20, with fuel, groceries and lodging. Upper Baker Dam - the gauge location at the lake outlet. Horseshoe Cove - a Forest Service campground and boat launch on the west shore. Kulshan Campground - a developed launch and campground near the dam. Baker Lake Road - the paved access running north from Concrete up the valley. Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest - public land surrounding the entire lake. Skagit River - the celebrated mainstem river downstream, with its own fisheries.
When is the best time to fish the Baker Lake?
Spring: cold and quiet, with resident trout and whitefish the realistic targets as the pool refills. Summer: the sockeye season when it opens, with the trolling fleet concentrated and the fishing intense. Fall: sockeye finish spawning, pressure drops sharply and resident trout fishing improves. Winter: the road and campgrounds go quiet, with weather and drawdown limiting practical access.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Baker Lake?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Washington agency site: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations