From Olympia, 18 waters from our guide are no more than 75 minutes away by road — 13 lakes, 3 reservoirs and 2 bays and estuaries. 2 of them are salt or brackish water, 16 fresh. Our records list no fewer than 37 species of fish for them.
The shortest drive: Black Lake, 12 min
Starting from Olympia, the nearest water is Black Lake at 12 min (5.9 mi). The drive time is measured to the ramp: Boat ramp — Black Lake.
Next by drive time:
- Long Lake — 15 min (6.8 mi)
- Pattison Lake — 20 min (9.2 mi)
- Summit Lake (reservoir) — 22 min (13 mi)
37 fish species around Olympia
Rainbow Trout turns up in more of these waters than any other fish: 16 of 18. Next come Yellow Perch (12), Rock Bass (11), Brown Bullhead (11) and Bluegill (10).
The nearest water for each of the leading species:
- Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass, Brown Bullhead and Bluegill: Black Lake, 12 min (5.9 mi)
- Yellow Perch: Summit Lake, 22 min (13 mi)
3 waters at the top of the Olympia list
These 3 waters lead our list for Olympia, ranked by distance, depth data, fish records and access:
- Black Lake: 569 acres, 11 fish species on record, max depth 28 ft (surveyed), 6 ramps and 2,206,057 fish stocked.
- Long Lake: 316 acres, 15 fish species on record, max depth 20 ft (surveyed), 4 ramps and 2,263,425 fish stocked.
- American Lake: 1,092 acres, 8 fish species on record, max depth 90 ft (surveyed), 5 ramps and 14,068,910 fish stocked.
Deepest nearby: Hood Canal, 611.9 ft
The deepest water in this guide is Hood Canal: 611.9 ft at its deepest point (surveyed). It is followed by Puget Sound (244 ft), Lake Washington (220 ft) and Lake Saint Clair (110 ft). Maximum depths are known for all 18 waters.
Launching near Olympia: 25 ramps
Public access near Olympia adds up to 25 boat ramps, 1 fishing pier and 4 shore-fishing spots. Nearest to the center for launching: Long Lake on Long Lake, roughly 5.6 mi as the crow flies. For fishing without a boat, the closest pier is Point White Pier on Puget Sound, about 41.1 mi from the center.
16 stocked waters near Olympia
Stocking records name 16 of these waters — the most fish at American Lake (14,068,910 fish), Summit Lake (9,867,308 fish) and Mason Lake (4,924,725 fish).
7 campgrounds near the water
7 campgrounds sit by the waters around Olympia. The closest are Elliott Herber Campsite (10.9 mi, by Summit Lake), Potlach State Park Campground (25.3 mi, by Hood Canal) and Belfair State Park Campground (26.6 mi, by Hood Canal).
