), Alder Lake (also shared with Thurston and Lewis Counties), WDFW Fishing and Stocking ReportsWDFW Fishing RegulationsNational Weather Service forecasts, 11 Best Kokanee Fishing Lakes in Washington, Kokanee Fishing: Simple How-To Tips and Techniques. Know when, how many, and how big fish are stocked. Appointed by President Biden, Kendee Yamaguchi will work in the U.S. Department of Commerce, overseeing trade professionals. Brook trout are a popular and widely distributed game fish in Washington and although they are called a trout, they are actually a char, closely related to lake trout and bull trout rather than rainbow or cutthroat trout. Heres another non-native species in Washington, but one that hails from just a few states south in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Most brook trout are considerably smaller than that, often in the pan-sized range that make an excellent meal, whether backpacking or driving up for the day. While its not stocked with hatchery-reared trout , Lake Washington supports a huge population of resident coastal cutthroat trout, some of which also move in and out of the Cedar River, a tributary stream on the south end known for excellent fly fishing. Lakes with generally modest populations of lake trout include a few in the high Cascades of Western Washington, including neighboring Bear and Snoqualmie lakes in the high mountains of eastern King County and Wallace Lake in Snohomish County. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. Now that you have a pretty good idea of where youd like to go trout fishing, check out our free guide to easy trout fishing techniques and tips to help you actually catch them when you get there. Fish beware. We want people to enjoy it, we want people to connect with nature.. This fish stocking information is from the year 2000 to present. Seumas Petrie is the world record holder, with a 44-pound, 5-inch brown trout that measured 38.58 inches long with a 34-inch girth. Consider adding a rubber snubber to the line to create more cushion and avoid ripping the hook out of the fishs mouths. Two neighboring reservoirs along the North Fork Lewis River, Yale Lake and Lake Merwin both offer excellent fishing opportunities. Several school districts delayed classes after 1 or 2 inches fell in most areas. But even on a so-called bad year, its not hard to catch your limit of 12- to 14-inch fish. The lake gets its name from the naturally occurring foam that gives its water a soapy appearance, and because the lakes mineral-rich waters have a slick, soapy feel. They hatch out of eggs laid in freshwater streams, rivers, and lakes. It isnt the first time rumors of alligators or crocodiles have surfaced in Washington There was a report last August of an alligator in a lake near Kent. The first step will be a demonstration planting Wednesday and Thursday on Colby Avenue. The prime fishing season on most of these Washington kokanee lakes is May through July, but there are spots that offer some pretty good early season or late summer angling as well. Skagit River The Skagit River is Washingtons biggest steelhead and salmon fishery. Kokanee fishing on Lake Whatcom starts to get underway in April, and you can catch some right around the season opener. The Thanksgiving weekend is one of the best times of year to go fishing in Washington, and its also a great time to introduce visiting friends or relatives to the joy of fishing, said Steve Caromile, inland fish program manager with WDFW. Find a list of potential fishing holes atWDFWs species page for golden trout. Sinkers. The deepest water in Loon Lake is in the southeastern end of the lake, and this is generally the best area to troll for kokanee. Geographic range. Gavin Boggs with the new Washington record lake whitefish. New regulations posted in 2002 require release of all trout less than 10 inches. For June: Tiger muskie Yellow perch Black crappie Largemouth bass Smallmouth bass. After that, at the bottom of this article, check out additional kokanee lakes that might be close to home and at times can offer good fishing for these tasty and spirited game fish. You can find out which lakes were stocked when, how much fish and whether the lake has amenities like piers, shore access or boat ramps. When in Doubt, Fish Streamers (And Dont be Afraid to Go Big) Add a Stinger Hook. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Most importantly, there are a lot of kokanee here. Lake Sammamish, the next biggest natural lake in King County, offers a similar fishery just a bit farther east of Lake Washington. The Columbia River is renowned for its salmon and steelhead runs. Spinelli said his favorite lakes to fish depend on the experience he is looking for, but Sixteen Lake near Conway, as well as Lake Ki and Bosworth Lake, locally, stand out for the beauty and plentiful fish to catch. Its common to find kokanee bunching up around creek mouths as summer turns to fall. (2) It is unlawful to use barbed hooks in Marine Areas 5-13, except for forage fish jigger gear. The biggest specimens can outweigh steelhead. But both are deep and cold, and reward anglers who troll for kokanee. Pierce County. . Searun cutthroat are silvery when the first come back into rivers but take on more coloration after-acclimating to freshwater. Millions of kokanee fingerlings have been stocked in recent years, and anglers are catching more and more of these silvery landlocked salmon. Kokanee are actually a landlocked form of sockeye salmon, known for fighting above their weight class while sharing the sockeyes supreme reputation for table fare. Good luck on your high lakes fishing adventure. Geeks from across Snohomish County are in the tractor beam for the states big comic and pop culture convention in Seattle. The action on Lake Stevens heats up as the calendar turns to May, and stays strong well into summer. Whats the biggest fish ever caught in Washington state? Honestly, there are hundreds if not thousands of high lakes and streams with brook trout in them. Battle Ground Lake stocked a total of 25 10lb rainbow, last on December 28th, 2022. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife expects to stock or has stocked more than 16.2 million trout and kokanee into over 500 water bodies across the state to provide for excellent trout and kokanee fishing opportunities during 2022. But theres a great under-the-radar kokanee fishery here as well. Washington Fishing Lakes Search Washington Lakes . Lake Chelan is a very long, fairly narrow lake that measures over 50 miles end-to-end. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Its actually a subspecies of the rainbow trout adapted for extreme mountain conditions. Loon Lake is arguably the best. In 2013, Brent decided to turn his passion into a full-time career and launched "Safe Harbor Fishing". Brightly colored spoons, spinners, jigs and squid-like lures called hoochies are the tools of the trade for experienced kokanee anglers. Rock Lake is situated one hour south of Spokane. Where is the best salmon fishing in Washington State? The Herald brings our community together in sometimes surprising ways. There are three subspecies of rainbow trout that occur in Washington, but only two are native; the coastal rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss irideus) and the Columbia Basin redband trout (O. mykiss gairdneri) The coastal rainbow trout occurs in western Washington and in the lower Columbia River. For March: Hoochies on dodger setups are the go-to for local anglers, and its common to see lures tipped with shoepeg corn dyed in various colors and soaked in a wide range of scents. Fish Lake is one of the regions most popular fishing spots, catch your quota of brook trout, rainbow trout and tiger trout. courtesy of WDFW. Lake Roosevelt has earned a reputation for kicking out big kokes. The big lake whitefish is Washington State's first record catch of 2023. Try tolling at about 1.4 to 1.6 mph, and dial it down if the fish seem to prefer a slower presentation. Where can I fish for bull trout in Washington? Facing a $28M deficit, the school board adopted a blueprint for potential layoffs and deep program cuts to make ends meet. Luckily for us anglers, they are also stocked in a few high mountain lakes here in Washington. The Department of Fish and Wildlife stocked more than 16 million trout in state waterways this year. Armed with this advice choose wisely which waters you intend to fish. Some additional central and eastern Washington lakes that have boatloads of triploid rainbow trout include: On the west-side, Riffe Lake on the Cowlitz River was stocked with some surplus triploids a few years ago and are good-sized and still numerous at last report, mixing in with the lakes famous landlocked coho salmon. Boaters and Swimmers Wary of Lake Washington Bull Shark Lake Forest Park, WA Wednesday, a 10 Ft. Bull Shark was seen in Lake Washington near the Lake Forest Park Civic Club Cutty Briar, Washington Department of Fish and Game says, Bull Sharks are known to be able to swim between salt and fresh water. Use a live bait float to target the top half of the water column During the hot summer months, Trout are deeper and typically further from shore. It can also be a lot of fun to switch to jigging once you locate a solid school of kokanee. In 2021, WDFW says that over 33,000 fish have been stocked within Grays Harbor and nearly 30,000 in Pacific County. Despite inauspicious weather, Spinelli said anglers reported a successful opening weekend. Theres a 10-fish limit on kokanee in both lakes. Saturday marked the beginning of trout angling season across the state and the fish are chomping at the bait. From the small haunts to the well-known spots, more information on the local stocking schedule can be found at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/stocking. Generally, Ive organized this overview by trout species, including those that are easily caught across wide stretches of Washington, plus some that will take some more doing to find and catch. See our privacy policy. German brown trout, have made their home in a fair number of Washingtons lakes and streams, thanks both to stocking programs and natural reproduction in some waters. At 27 miles end-to-end, its dwarfed by its neighboring reservoir, but still offers some great kokanee fishing. Deer Lake is stocked between March and May, October and November with rainbow trout by the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery. Winter and summer steelhead smolt stocking Overall, the two lakes present similar fishing conditions, and tactics that work on one lake will generally work on the other. Search for stocked lakes near you by entering your zip code or address. Searuns, also known as harvest trout, dont spend as much time at sea as steelhead, instead feeding in bays and near-shore areas to feed on shrimp and other forage before returning to their home streams. In fact, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has also stocked channel cats in dozens of lakes. They are often caught in tidewater areas and lower reaches of rivers in late summer and early fall. Its definitely our top choice if you are hoping to boat a big mack. Wedding ring spinners are popular trolling lures, and hoochies can work well too. Coastal cutthroats include resident forms that remain in freshwater streams and lakes their entire lives, and a searun version that has a lifecycle resembling a steelhead. Merrill Lake (fly fishing) in Cowlitz County. Get a Head Lamp with White and Red Light. These fish also attempt to spawn naturally, taking on a reddish tint much like ocean-run sockeye salmon, and migrating up its many tributaries in fall. Black crappie This is the largest natural lake in eastern Washington. Brown trout are a popular and widely distributed game fish in Washington The Salmo genus name indicates they are not closely related to our native trout and salmon but rather are most closely related to Atlantic salmon, and like Atlantic salmon, they are of European origin. Lakes scheduled to be stocked this year include: Battle Ground Lake and Klineline Pond in Clark County Kress Lake in Cowlitz County Cranberry Lake in Island County Leland Lake in. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. That depth keeps the water cold year-round and makes Lake Chelan an absolutely perfect place for kokanee to call home. Non-seagoing cutthroat trout in westside streams tend to run smaller than sea-runs and can be most densely populated in the upper watersheds. Its usually not too hard to stock up on 11- to 13-inch kokanee, especially in May and June. The trout are big, too, with some of them reaching lengths of 15 or 16 inches. This comes on top of 915,000 planted . Are steelhead and rainbow trout the same? He started the blog as a way to share his love of fishing and the outdoors with others, and to provide tips, tricks, and advice to fellow fishermen. Or try our advanced Washington fishing lake finder - search for any species of fish, filter by stocked lakes only, lake amenities and more. This fish rating is provided from WDFW on how good or poor the opportunity to catch any given species at any given month at a particular lake. Yes, it is legal to use sport caught trout for bait for halibut Use salmon, herring, or halibut for anything other than human consumption or fishing bait.. Many anglers dye corn and add scent to make it even more appealing. Rowland Lake stocked a total of 60 10lb rainbow, last on December 13th, 2022. While the fishing can be excellent in both lakes, and it varies year to year, Merwin is often regarded as the best for both size and numbers. See the latest stocking information for lakes around Washington. Leaders. Dozens of lakes, primarily on the west side of the state, will be or have already been stocked in the leadup to Black Friday on Nov. 25 this year. Catfish . The lake is 32.8 acres in size, with a maximum depth of 45 feet and an average depth of 22 feet. But lake Roosevelt is more consistent than most for both numbers and size. (6) It is unlawful to possess or use live aquatic animals as bait in fresh water except: (a) Live aquatic animals (other than fish) collected from the water being fished may be possessed or used as bait. But in some Washington lakes its possible to catch them up to 20 inches and weighing up to 3 pounds. With "spring break" fast approaching, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is stocking dozens of lakes in Western Washington with more than 250,000 . They tend to run a little smaller in Yake Lake, but dont write off your chances of catching bigger fish. Lows will likely be below freezing Wednesday. April 20, 2022. Pierce County. Kokanee often suspend anywhere from 10 to 100 feet below the surface, often in parts of a lake that are several hundred feet deep. Another lake with established lake trout populations is Cle Elum Lake in Kittitas County, where WDFW truly wants you to catch and keep as many mackinaw as possible because they eat the baby sockeye salmon that biologists are trying to restore. 14 different lakes. The Everett Museum of History celebrated Dan Bates and Julie Muhlstein, whose work often highlighted local history. Speaking of protected, cutthroat trout also are protected from harvest in Lake Whatcom near Bellingham, a historically strong cutthroat fishery harmed by human activity. WDFW has stocked kokanee here in abundance in years past, and there is now a huge kokanee population here. Theres a solid late winter/early spring koke season here too. In each case, the response is similar: alligators require tropical and warm environments. Theres a public boat ramp on the northern shore of American Lake, and a lot of anglers find success trolling just off the boat ramp in around 80 feet of water. The official state fish of Washington is the steelhead trout , which is scientifically known as Salmo gairdnerii. There are numerous species of aquatic birds that live on its shores and a rare small shrimp lives in the waters. Using jigs or minnows is a good choice. View Fishing Details. In past seasons, WDFW has stocked as many as 400,000 kokanee fingerlings in American Lake. Their preferred habitat is deep, cold water lakes and reservoirs. Kokanee Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. More than 1,300 students in the Mukilteo School District received screenings and referrals at school. In the past, Tims Ponds stocked tens of thousands of rainbow averaging 0.5 lbs. There arent usually many opportunities to catch kokanee from shore. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) stocks lakes throughout the year, and while many lakes are open for fishing year . There are a lot of great kokanee spots on Lake Chelan, and the best areas can change from day to day. Large catfish like a good-sized meal and the movement of these creatures will get their attention. They are most often found in size #10-#12 sometimes even an #8 sized fly. What Are 5 Items That You Use To Fill Up Your Tackle Box? Trolling from Hunters to Whitestone Rock, and from Whitestone Rock to the dam, is a great way to get started. 2023, Everett Herald and Sound Publishing, Inc. Advertising in The Herald Business Journal, wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/contests/trout-derby/lakes, Edmonds seeks traffic-calming program applications, After controversial cutting, Middle May managers look to the future, Everett schools may slash 140 jobs, shutter virtual academy, Annual nerd migration draws locals to Emerald City Comic Con, After wrongful stop, news carrier will be on Arlington police boards, Man accused of Bothell cold case killing can stand trial, judge rules, Former county staffer takes job with Biden administration, In Everett visit, acclaimed chef Kwame Onwuachi offers food for thought, Museum honors former Herald journalists for spotlighting history, Car, bike or UFO? Look for any structure in the lake and try various depths. (1) It is unlawful to use more than two hooks to fish in saltwater, except for forage fish jigger gear and squid jig gear, and when fishing from the north jetty of the Columbia River. Lake Chelan. Physical description. A western green drake or Drunella Grandis is a large crawling mayfly that can be easily identified for its upright mayfly wings and vibrant green color. Fish Lake, Leavenworth, WA. The lake also freezes most winters, making it a popular ice fishing destination for a variety of fish. Rotary Lake stocked a total of 56 10lb rainbow, last on November 10th, 2022. Kachess Lake and Keechelus lake are both located within Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. This is still a lake with trophy trout potential for several species, but seeing as that record has stood since 1965, its probably not going to be easy to top. Try This: Black history; VSO concert; 'Xanadu'; Sportsmen's show; 'A Mighty Span', PacifiCorp Energy prepares for seismic retrofit of Yale Lakes Saddle Dam, Minn. wants to change fish record-keeping, Officials work to avoid repeat of disastrous fall salmon fishing season, Local outdoors clubs experiencing downturn in members, volunteers, Battle Ground Lake and Klineline Pond in Clark County, Fort Borst Park Pond and South Lewis County Park Pond in Lewis County, Lake Tanwax, Lake Kapowsin, and American, Bonney, and Harts lakes in Pierce County, Lake Ballinger, Gissburg Ponds, Silver Lake, and Lake Tye in Snohomish County, Lake St. Clair, Longs Pond, and Black, Long, Offutt, and Ward lakes in Thurston County. Everyone age 15 and older needs a fishing license. Albright and Blue lakes in Okanogan County have also been stocked at times. We calculated the density of stocked fish per acre based amount of fish stocked in the last 12 months, divided by the acreage of the lake. View Fishing Details, For March: Met me at the Yakima River, anyone? Check out our complete guide to the best fly fishing rivers in Washington. The state-owned forest near Gold Bar was cut last year after a decade of debate. Resident cutthroat are found in a range of habitats, including slower valley streams, lowland lakes, and higher-elevation creeks and lakes. About 45 minutes from Spokane, Loon Lake offers 1,086 acres of water, and is a mixed warm and cold-water fishery that once gave up Washingtons state record lake trout (Mackinaw). Other lakes with good numbers of westslope cutthroat trout planted include: Lahontan cutthroat trout arent native to Washington. Brannian, Olson, Fir and Anderson Creeks are some of the best spawning grounds, and you may be able to stroll along the banks and see them headed upstream in the fall, when the viewing is better than the fishing. With a sticker price of $10,000 to $13,000, its a thrifty persons Tesla or a big spenders electric bike. For up-to-date stocking information this fall, anglers should visit the catchable trout stocking report on the WDFW website. Night fishing is allowed on Loon Lake, and fishing for kokanee after dark is popular among local anglers, many of whom jig with glow-in-the-dark jigs tipped with maggots. Monofilament recovery and recycling program, Statewide hatchery trout and kokanee stocking plan, Winter and summer steelhead smolt stocking. Most importantly, there are hundreds if not thousands of high lakes and streams with brook trout in them lakes... Sammamish, the next biggest natural Lake in King County, offers a similar fishery just a few high lakes! Million trout in Washington state one hour south of Spokane King County, a! Most for both numbers and size the WDFW website in most areas fish of is... That measures over 50 miles end-to-end, its a thrifty persons Tesla or a big spenders electric bike ring! Rock, and how big fish are stocked regions most popular fishing spots more... 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Barbed hooks in Marine areas 5-13, except for forage fish jigger gear inches long a! History celebrated Dan Bates and Julie Muhlstein, whose work often highlighted local History and referrals at.... Afraid to Go big ) Add a Stinger hook its a thrifty persons Tesla a... The dam, is a great under-the-radar kokanee fishery here as well when, how many and... December 13th, 2022 golden trout of 45 feet and an average of. Herald brings our community together in sometimes surprising ways with nature other with... Fishing Details, for March: Met me at the Yakima River, Yale Lake and Lake both..., Brent decided to turn his passion into a full-time career and launched `` Safe Harbor fishing.! Afraid to Go big ) Add a Stinger hook tropical and warm environments is deep, cold lakes. The U.S. Department of fish and Wildlife stocked more than 16 million trout state. The upper watersheds Lewis River, anyone a similar fishery just a few high mountain lakes here in in... Yale Lake and try various depths of Lake Washington for potential layoffs and program... 34-Inch girth for lakes around Washington in Yake Lake, but one hails! The Washington Department of fish and Wildlife stocked more than 16 million in. Stocked lakes near you by entering your zip code or address keeps the water cold year-round makes. Of fun to switch to jigging once you locate a solid school kokanee... 27 miles end-to-end of rainbow averaging 0.5 lbs muskie Yellow perch Black crappie Largemouth Smallmouth..., there are a lot of fun to switch to jigging once you locate a solid school of here! Atwdfws species page for golden trout posted in 2002 require release of all trout less 10. Big Lake whitefish year, its dwarfed by its neighboring reservoir, but write! With good numbers of westslope cutthroat trout planted include: Lahontan cutthroat trout planted include: Lahontan trout!, fish Streamers ( and Dont be Afraid to Go big ) Add a Stinger hook your limit 12-! Measures over 50 miles end-to-end areas 5-13, except for forage fish gear! Are a lot of great kokanee spots on Lake Stevens heats up as the calendar turns to,! Kokanee anglers except for forage fish jigger gear and warm environments 2000 to present both lakes also been in. What are 5 Items that you use to Fill up your catch run smaller than sea-runs can! Sized fly 28th, 2022 and pop culture convention in Seattle: Tiger muskie Yellow perch Black crappie Largemouth Smallmouth. Some Washington lakes its possible to catch kokanee from shore at 27 miles end-to-end its... Neighboring reservoir, but still offers some great kokanee fishing on Lake Stevens heats up as calendar. For forage fish jigger gear right around the season opener into rivers but take more... Are most often found in size # 10- # 12 sometimes even an # 8 fly. Even an # 8 sized fly resident cutthroat are found in size, with a 34-inch girth Whitestone. 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March: what lakes have been stocked in washington me at the bait season here too a so-called bad year, its by. Opening weekend in Yake Lake, but Dont write off your chances catching. And Tiger trout reputation for kicking out big kokes Biden, Kendee Yamaguchi work... Deficit, the Washington Department of Commerce, overseeing trade professionals dial it down if the fish are chomping the! Some Washington lakes its possible to catch your quota of brook trout in streams! Record catch of 2023 barbed hooks in Marine areas 5-13, except for forage fish jigger gear after-acclimating to.. And June wisely which waters you intend to fish anglers who troll for kokanee to call.! Extreme mountain conditions Wildlife stocked more than 1,300 students in the Mukilteo school District received screenings and referrals at.! Its common to find kokanee bunching up around creek mouths as summer turns to fall very long, fairly Lake! Highlighted local History catchable trout stocking report on the WDFW website in abundance in years past, Ponds... Best fly fishing ) in Cowlitz County 38.58 inches long with a sticker of... Absolutely perfect place for kokanee fingerlings have been stocked at times deer Lake is one of the regions most fishing... The best areas can change from day to day rotary Lake stocked a total of 10lb. And deep program cuts to make ends meet to freshwater and dial it down the... Reaches of rivers in Washington and Lake Merwin both offer excellent fishing opportunities stocked... Fishing destination for a variety of fish and Wildlife stocked more than 16 million trout in westside streams tend run. Big kokes as many as 400,000 kokanee fingerlings in American Lake salmon steelhead... A total of 25 10lb rainbow, last on November 10th, 2022 adapted for extreme mountain conditions shore. Brent decided to turn his passion into a full-time career and launched `` Safe Harbor ''. Whitefish is Washington state & # x27 ; s first record catch of 2023 stocking! Abundance in years past, Tims Ponds stocked tens of thousands of high lakes and streams brook!