Washington lake

Lake Whatcom

Whatcom County, Washington

Lake Whatcom is 4,923.6 acres just east of Bellingham. WDFW lists kokanee, smallmouth and largemouth bass and yellow perch; cutthroat fishing is closed.

Air temp Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Lake Whatcom (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area4,924 acres

Max depth—

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

Largemouth Bass●●○○○

Kokanee●●○○○

Yellow Perch●●○○○

Boat launches

3 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Bloedel Donovan ParkPublic
City of Bellingham park with boating access.Directions ↗
WDFW water access areaPublic
Listed by WDFW on the lake.Directions ↗
More public accessPublic
See the state agency or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Lake Whatcom are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (2026-27 pamphlet on eRegulations) ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (2026-27 pamphlet on eRegulations) before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.

Search more bait shops near Lake Whatcom ↗

Local tips

Resident cutthroat fishing is closed.
The area between the Electric Avenue Bridge and the outlet dam, and all tributaries, are closed.
Two-pole fishing is not allowed.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

More Washington lakes

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Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.