Alder Lake

Alder Reservoir is open year-round and offers good harvest opportunity for stocked kokanee. The reservoir also supports naturally reproducing populations of coastal cutthroat, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie, white crappie, and brown bullhead catfish. Anglers are allowed to retain up to 10 kokanee and 5 cutthroat per day.

The water level is low during winter months and higher in the spring through fall. The water in the summer months can also be colored in from a fair amount of glacial silt coming from runoff from the Nisqually glacier. Choose your lure colors accordingly.

There are several boat ramps and good bank access.

Two-pole fishing is allowed

Shoreline access: Good - There is plenty of public shore access along SR 7 and in a few of Tacoma Power's parks, access areas, and campground.

Species you might catch

Lake information

County: Pierce
Acreage: 2877.20 ac.
Elevation: 1198 ft.
Center: 46.772031, -122.22727
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Fishing resources

Fishing prospects calendar

Coastal cutthroat trout (resident)

Fishing is best for Coastal Cutthroat in the spring and fall. There is a summer lull as fish move offshore into deeper waters to escape the summer heat in July and August. Catch is lowest in the late-winter while adults are spawning in tributary streams.

Kokanee

The Kokanee fishery typically lasts from April-October before the adults leave the lake to spawn in tributaries starting in late-October and early-November. Fishing is best in the spring before they move into deeper water to avoid warming water temperatures, but they can be targeted throughout the summer in deeper offshore areas near the thermocline. There may be a slight uptick in some waters in the fall as adults return to shallower water and move near shore towards spawning tributaries.

Largemouth bass

Fishing improves throughout the spring as waters warm and fish move onshore, peaking during the spawn. Summer is a slight lull though dawn/dusk hours can be very good. Catch improves in Fall as waters cool, vegetation begins to die back, and prey becomes more available. Winter is the hardest time because fish are offshore and slow moving.

Smallmouth bass

Yellow perch

Yellow Perch can be caught year-round. Fishing is best in the summer after they finish spawning in April-May. Fish can be readily angled through the summer from both the shore and boat. Catch begins to decline in the fall as water temperatures cool and fish move offshore forcing anglers to pursue them in boats. Successful fishing for Yellow Perch in the winter involves either targeting schools in deep water from boats or through the ice.

Black crappie

Fishing improves throughout the Spring, peaking during the spawn. Summer is a slight lull, while Fall sees an improvement as waters cool, vegetation dies back, and prey becomes more available. During winter, the bite is slower, but anglers can have great success fishing through the ice when conditions are safe.