Hicks Lake Fishing Spots Washington: Access, Species

A 22-acre lowland lake in Pierce County offers public access points, a seasonal WDFW trout plant each spring, and a self-sustaining warmwater fishery of largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, and black crappie that keeps rods bending through summer and fall. The south-end public launch, the western shoreline park strip, and the north-end walking path put the best water within a short cast for bank anglers, kayakers, and small-boat fishers from the Tacoma metro area.

The sections below cover access, species, regulations, and tactics so you can plan a focused day trip instead of guessing on the water. Expect specific ramps, bank stretches, and seasonal patterns you can put to work.

Hicks Lake at a Glance for Washington Anglers

Hicks Lake covers about 22 acres in unincorporated Pierce County, just east of the Spanaway Loop Road corridor and roughly 20 minutes from Tacoma. The basin is relatively shallow for a Puget Sound lowland lake, with a maximum depth near 25 feet and a mean depth that falls closer to 10 feet, a profile that warms quickly once spring sun arrives. Shoreline development mixes single-family homes with stretches of public access managed by Pierce County Parks.

Small lowland lakes like this one regularly outperform larger reservoirs for day-trip anglers because the entire water column reacts to weather shifts within hours rather than days. Trout can be corralled along shallow flats, bass slide into warming coves, and panfish stay close to drop-offs without drifting far from a launch point. Hicks Lake fits that pattern well: tight, accessible, and biologically productive for its size.

Who the lake attracts

You will see Tacoma metro families teaching kids to bait a hook, bank anglers working the public shoreline on foot, and kayak or small pontoon fishers launching from the county access. Because the basin is small and well-lit, evening trips after work are realistic, and weekend mornings tend to peak with shore pressure around the launch and the easiest walking stretches.

Where it fits in the South Sound scene

Hicks Lake belongs to a string of stocked lowland waters in Pierce County. Neighbors include Spanaway Lake, Lake Tapps, and several smaller ponds on the Joint Base Lewis-McChord reservation. For anglers building a multi-lake day, Hicks is a logical morning stop, then a short drive to a different water with a different species mix by afternoon.

Public Access Points and Shoreline Fishing Areas

Public access sits on the south end of the lake, where a small Pierce County launch handles cartop boats, kayaks, and small jon boats. A paved parking lot, a vault toilet, and a short path to the water keep the entry quick, and the dock area doubles as the easiest bank fishing for anyone without a craft. Electric motors work fine; gas motors are allowed but rarely worth the hassle on a basin this size.

Bank anglers without a boat can still reach productive water on foot, especially along the western shore where county park land borders the lake. The northeast side has thinner access because private homes sit closer to the waterline, so plan to walk the public parcels and the launch side rather than circling the entire lake.

Best entry points for families and first-timers

• ▸County launch dock: Paved path, restroom on site, and the shortest cast to deeper water along the south basin.
• ▸Western shoreline park strip: Grassy bank, afternoon shade, and room for kids to move without crowding other anglers.
• ▸North-end walking path: A quieter stretch that produces early and late in the day when pressure drops elsewhere on the lake.

Scouting the shoreline before the trip

“Open the Pierce County Parks map and switch to satellite view to spot dock locations, parking pads, and clear bank cuts before driving out. Mark two or three access points so a crowded launch doesn’t end the day.

Fish Species Present and the WDFW Stocking Schedule

Rainbow trout are the headline species at Hicks Lake, planted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife each spring as part of the agency’s lowland lake program. Plant numbers typically run around 1,500 to 3,000 trout per year, split across two or three stocking events between March and May, with catchable fish in the 8 to 12 inch range. You can confirm exact dates and totals through the annual WDFW stocking report, which is updated online as plants are completed.

Beyond trout, the lake holds a self-sustaining warmwater community. Largemouth bass dominate the predator slot, with smaller numbers of bluegill, yellow perch, and black crappie filling the panfish niche. No kokanee salmon or steelhead are planted here, and the lake sits outside any anadromous run, so the species list stays tight and predictable across the year.

Why spring peaks right after trout plants

Newly planted rainbow trout tend to school tight for the first two to three weeks after release, often within 50 yards of the launch where the stocking truck dropped them. Shore anglers casting PowerBait or small spinners from the public dock routinely limit out during that window. As water warms and the fish spread out, the bite shifts toward trolling or working the drop-offs with hardware.

Late summer and fall transitions

By July, trout have dispersed and the bite turns mostly to bass. Largemouth move into the weed edges and submerged wood along the south and west shores, and topwater action picks up around dawn. Fall cools the water again, perch and crappie push into the shallows, and a second, smaller window of trout activity opens if the lake receives an October plant.

Those seasonal shifts shape which fish are actually catchable, which brings up the licenses and rules you’ll need to cover them legally.

Washington Fishing Licenses and Regulations for Hicks Lake

A valid Washington State fishing license is required for anyone 15 and older, with a separate catch-record card needed for salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon. Youth under 15 fish free, and residents 70 and over qualify for a free permanent combination license through WDFW. The license year runs from April 1 through March 31, and license fees support the hatchery program that stocks lakes like this one.

Hicks Lake follows the statewide freshwater rules unless WDFW has published a special exception in the Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet. Trout seasons, daily limits, and any selective gear restrictions appear in that pamphlet, which is updated each spring and posted on the WDFW website.

Rules to confirm before every trip

• ▸Trout daily limit: Typically 5 fish, with no minimum size on most lowland lakes, but verify the current pamphlet for any changes.
• ▸Bass regulations: Largemouth and smallmouth bass often have no daily limit or size cap, yet emergency rules can close a specific water at any time.
• ▸Panfish limits: Combined bluegill, perch, and crappie limits usually allow 10 to 15 fish total, depending on the water.
• ▸Seasonal closures: WDFW can shift seasons or close lakes due to drought, low water, or fishery concerns, so check the emergency rules page the day of the trip.

“Skim the WDFW emergency rules page the morning you head out, since a posted closure or a gear change is the most common reason anglers get cited on small stocked lakes.

Baits, Lures, and Techniques That Work on the Lake

Matching bait to the seasonal target is the single biggest factor in a productive day on this lake. Spring calls for bait-and-wait trout tactics within sight of the launch, while summer shifts the program toward moving lures for bass and panfish along structure. Read the water first, then pick the technique that matches what you see.

Spring trout program

PowerBait fished on the bottom under a slip bobber is a reliable opener for planted rainbows, and a small piece of worm or marshmallow works equally well when the bite is finicky. For anglers who prefer hardware, 1/16 oz Panther Martin spinners or Rooster Tails in chartreuse and orange produce steady results on the south and west banks. Cast parallel to the drop-off rather than straight out, since the trout follow the contour rather than the deepest water.

Summer bass and panfish

Largemouth move onto the weed edges and shaded wood as surface temperatures climb past 65 degrees. Soft plastics rigged Texas-style around submerged logs, weedless jigs worked slowly through pockets, and walking topwater plugs like a Heddon Zara Spook all draw reaction strikes in low light. Bluegill and perch take small jigs tipped with a piece of worm under a bobber, especially along the western shoreline at dawn.

Those tactics only pay off if the timing and location line up, so it helps to think through a full day before you launch.

Sample seasonal game plan

1. 1April to May: Anchor near the launch with a slip-bobber rig, baited with PowerBait or worm, two rods spaced to cover different depths.
2. 2June: Switch to small spinners and troll the south basin at slow speed to find roaming trout before the summer warmup.
3. 3July to August: Work topwater plugs along weed edges in the first hour of light, then drop to soft plastics under the dock as the sun climbs.
4. 4September to October: Target bluegill and perch with small jigs in 4 to 8 feet of water, and check the WDFW page for any fall trout plant.

Planning a Trip and Nearby Lakes as Backup Options

Arrive at first light for the best mix of cool water, active fish, and open parking at the launch. Spring weekends fill the lot by mid-morning, especially in the two weeks following a confirmed WDFW plant, so an early start earns its alarm. Pack a small rod combo, a couple of terminal tackle boxes, water, and a current license printed or saved to your phone, then build the rest of the gear list around the species you plan to target.

Because the lake is small, weather and pressure change the bite fast, so plan a backup water within a short drive. Spanaway Lake sits less than 10 minutes north and offers a deeper basin, a larger launch, and a different stocking history, while American Lake near Lakewood adds a third option with bigger trout plants and rental boats at the public ramp.

Gear list essentials for a lowland lake day

• ▸Rods: One light spinning rod (6’6″ to 7′) for trout and panfish, plus a medium rod for bass if bass is the target.
• ▸Terminal tackle: Assorted hooks (size 6 to 10), slip bobbers, split shot, and a small jar of PowerBait in garlic and chartreuse.
• ▸Lures: Two or three 1/16 oz spinners, a couple of soft plastics, and one topwater plug for summer bass.
• ▸Documentation: Printed WDFW license, current Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet page for the lake, and the emergency rules link saved on your phone.

Common mistakes first-timers make

Most slow days on small stocked lakes trace back to a few predictable errors. Casting straight out from the bank instead of parallel to structure is the most common, followed by fishing too deep for newly planted trout, which often sit within a few feet of the surface for the first week. Skipping the emergency rules check is the third, since a closure posted overnight is a legal trip-ender regardless of how far you drove.

What to do when the bite is slow

Move before you switch baits, since small lakes concentrate fish in tight areas. Walk the shoreline, watch for surface activity or baitfish dimpling the surface, and cast to the active zone rather than fishing blind water. If the lake is dead after an hour, pivot to a backup water rather than grinding through a slow morning on the same shoreline.

That flexibility is what makes a trip feel relaxed instead of forced, and it sets the tone for how I’d sum up the lake.

Final Thoughts

Small stocked lakes reward short, focused trips: arrive early, confirm the rules the morning of, match the bait to the species in season, and keep a backup lake in the truck. The trout bite peaks the few weeks after a WDFW plant, the bass action takes over once summer warms the basin, and panfish fill the gaps through the shoulder seasons. Treat each trip as a two-hour window with a clear target, and a 22-acre lake can easily outproduce larger waters in the same county.

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