Trolling over deep water with hoochies can yield lots of 12- to 14-inch kokanee in summer. During the peak spring and summer season, anglers often troll depths around 50 feet at 0.8 to 1.5 mph using squid-style lures like Macks Mini Cha Cha Squidder behind a dodger. Lake Chelan also is famous for big lake trout and offers cutthroat trout, smallmouth bass, burbot and other game fish as well. The Herald brings our community together in sometimes surprising ways. Bull trout are also present in both lakes, but must be released immediately if caught. Any opening day lake is a good hot spot, said Justin Spinelli, a regional fish biologist for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. WDFW has stocked kokanee here in abundance in years past, and there is now a huge kokanee population here. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. READ SOMETHING ELSE Table of Contentsshow 1Where is the best fly fishing in Washington State? 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. What Is The Best Place To Go Bass Fishing, Fish Lake, Leavenworth, WA. Lake Sammamish often can out-fish its larger neighbor for numbers, although at times the average trout here will be a bit smaller. The old standby Wedding Ring spinner with a nightcrawler on the hook a pretty common tactic. Shockingly deep, in fact. Ice House Lake stocked a total of 18 10lb rainbow, last on December 12th, 2022. Rowland Lake stocked a total of 60 10lb rainbow, last on December 13th, 2022. Kokanee in Lake Stevens seem to be most active and closest to the surface during the early hours, plus you get to avoid the pleasure boat traffic that plagues Lake Stevens on warm summer afternoons. If you want to try live bait, try night crawlers, salmon eggs, or minnows that mimic their native prey. Get an email alert when lakes near you get stocked! What lakes in Washington have tiger trout? Omak Lake is twelve miles long with sandy beaches located on the southwest, northwest and northeast shores. Oftentimes the best bite is right around sunset. All prices, extra fishing line. Kachess Lake and Keechelus lake are both located within Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Lake Chelan is a very long, fairly narrow lake that measures over 50 miles end-to-end. The northern half of the lake is deepest, and most of the kokanee action is concentrated there. The lakes and rivers weve already mentioned have typical stocked and native rainbows, but WDFW also plants some lakes with triploid rainbow trout, especially in east of the Cascade Mountains. Saturday marked the beginning of trout angling season across the state and the fish are chomping at the bait. 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. Its about an hour from Seattle and 30 minutes from Olympia, making it a convenient day trip for many anglers. Fishing for kokanee salmon has exploded in popularity. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! 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. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". They can reach 45 inches in length, but are usually much smaller. 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. The trout, which is extremely popular in the state among people who enjoy fishing, was designated as the state fish back in 1969. Trolling deep drop-offs, especially around the islands, tends to be the way to go. Steelhead and rainbow trout are the same species, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and start out life much the same. Skagit River The Skagit River is Washingtons biggest steelhead and salmon fishery. The best kokanee fishing on Lake Chelan is typically from mid-April through the end of June, but some of the biggest fish tend to be caught a bit later in the summer. Sixgill The largest shark to inhabit Puget Sound waters the most often is the Sixgill, and it is approximately 16-20 feet long. Licenses can be purchased online, by phone at 1-866-246-9453, or at any of the hundreds of license vendors across the state. Dont overlook the Cedar River right under many noses in King County or the Spokane River on the other side of the state. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Overall, the two lakes present similar fishing conditions, and tactics that work on one lake will generally work on the other. Fingerling brook trout have been stocked since 1976, and fishing has been permitted since 1979. Like any kokanee lake, the fishing can vary drastically from one year to the next. It can also be a lot of fun to switch to jigging once you locate a solid school of kokanee. In Eastern Washington, Westslope cutthroat trout also are found in both native and stocked populations, especially on the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains and across the mountains of northeastern Washington. The Yakima River. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. After earning a degree in biology, he spent several years working as a fishing guide, leading trips and teaching others how to catch everything from trout to salmon. 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. Kokanee at Lake Roosevelt tend to hold a little shallower than in many lakes, often within 10 to 20 feet of the surface, especially in spring. He added that Wagner Lake outside of Monroe and Howard Lake past Index both fished particularly well to start the season. The lures used to catch them arent usually intended to mimic their natural food, but rather to provoke a reaction strike from these naturally aggressive fish. Wild populations of coastal cutthroat trout are found scattered around the streams and lakes of Western Washington, and a fair number of lakes in this region are stocked with hatchery-reared cutthroat. Wedding ring spinners are popular trolling lures, and hoochies can work well too. The trout are big, too, with some of them reaching lengths of 15 or 16 inches. The biggest specimens can outweigh steelhead. Another hot spot closer to home for many is near the fish hatchery at Minter Creek, located near the end of Carr Inlet less than 20 minutes from Gig Harbor. Or try our advanced Washington fishing lake finder - search for any species of fish, filter by stocked lakes only, lake amenities and more. The lake is stocked with various game fish and is open to the general public on a permit basis. Theres a 10-fish limit on kokanee in both lakes. The average size kokanee in Lake Merwin is around 13 to 15 inches. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In a year of good returns, over 1 million Chinook, coho and sockeye salmon, and summer steelhead travel up the river to spawn in its tributaries. Bigger isnt always better, but for Washingtons longest river, it is. Its definitely our top choice if you are hoping to boat a big mack. Winter and summer steelhead smolt stocking When the bite is really on, the best action is early in the day. For up-to-date stocking information this fall, anglers should visit the catchable trout stocking report on the WDFW website. You can catch a lot of 8- to 12-inch kokanee in June and July, with size generally increasing as the season progresses. The fish hatchery on Lake Whatcom actually raises kokanee salmon for release in lakes all over the state, and theyve planted fingerlings in Lake Whatcom numbering in the millions. Juanita Point is well-known as one of the top spots on Lake Washington for trophy trout. 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. The best time to be on the water is in the morning. And here in Washington state, were lucky to have some of the best kokanee lakes in America right at our doorstep. 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. Fluctuations in water level can make access challenging at times, and you can get up-to-date lake level information from PacifiCorp, the company that operates the dams. But, they do feed predominantly near or just off the bottom. Do you need a fishing license for catch and release in Washington? What follows are our carefully curated selection of the very best kokanee lakes in Washington. What lakes have been stocked in Washington? High lakes fish stocking This stocking information is intended to give the user ideas where different species and quantities of fish have been stocked by WDFW and volunteers into high lakes across Washington. If there is no stocking data represented for a specific lake that is because it has not been stocked since 2000. At 1,091 acres, American Lake gets busy on summer weekends. Several school districts delayed classes after 1 or 2 inches fell in most areas. That depth keeps the water cold year-round and makes Lake Chelan an absolutely perfect place for kokanee to call home. Where is the biggest trout in Washington? Yakima County. (It still offers lots of other types of fishing though.). OLYMPIA - The Washington trout season begins in earnest Saturday, April 23, when hundreds of lakes stocked with catchable trout open for business and the 2022 statewide trout derby kicks off. Heres another non-native char, though it hails from the other side of the country in the Great Lakes and up into Canada, rather than the other side of the globe. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". But unlike a lot of lakes, Lake Chelan actually has a decent year-round kokanee fishery. There are three primary species of cutthroat trout found in Washington. There are numerous species of aquatic birds that live on its shores and a rare small shrimp lives in the waters. Golden trout havent appeared on stocking schedules recently, and numbers may have dwindled in some waters. Depths vary, so be prepared to change it up. The forest service provides campgrounds, boat launch facilities and shoreline hiking trails around both lakes. Table of Contentsshow 1. Its hard to imagine a more beautiful fishing destination than neighboring Kachess and Keechelus Lakes. Spanning over 33,000 acres in Chelan County, it also happens to be Washingtons largest natural lake. Typical kokanee here run around 12 inches, with some well into the teens. The next reservoir downstream from Roosevelt is Rufus Woods Lake, which has produced the Washington state record rainbow trout, a triploid tipping the scales at nearly 30 pounds. Some of the lakes recently stocked include Island Lake in Kitsap County; Island, Lost, Nahwatzel, and Spencer lakes in Mason County; Lake Sylvia in Grays Harbor County; and Gibbs, Teal and Leland lakes in Jefferson County. They are most often found in size #10-#12 sometimes even an #8 sized fly. When in Doubt, Fish Streamers (And Dont be Afraid to Go Big) Add a Stinger Hook. Kokanee and smaller trout are often on the menu in Washington. 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. 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. 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. You can get one online at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov, by telephone at 1-866-246-9453 or at dealers around the state. Better still, fish early in the morning. Other years, youre lucky to catch one over 12 inches. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Klineline Pond stocked a total of 26 10lb rainbow, last on December 28th, 2022. Are there golden trout in Washington state? But even on a so-called bad year, its not hard to catch your limit of 12- to 14-inch fish. Where is the best salmon fishing in Washington State? Some of the lakes recently stocked include Island Lake in Kitsap County; Island, Lost, Nahwatzel, and Spencer lakes in Mason County; Lake Sylvia in Grays Harbor County; and Gibbs, Teal and Leland lakes in Jefferson County. American Lake near Tacoma is the largest lake in Pierce County. 18-inch kokes are possible in both lakes. The difficulty for anglers is that goldens are typically found only in lakes that are very difficult to access. , Best Answer From Peter in Australia: A hook will rust away in a fish, but it may take a while, especially if the hook is plated or made of thick metal. Lake Roosevelt has earned a reputation for kicking out big kokes. See our privacy policy. However, the populations in most coastal streams are wild. Polar bears will also eat birds, fish, vegetation and, fishing licence. But Washington also has some tremendous fisheries for wild rainbow trout. The Columbia River is renowned for its salmon and steelhead runs. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks fish in lakes and streams around the state. 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. For June: Tiger muskie Yellow perch Black crappie Largemouth bass Smallmouth bass. There are no fish in the lake, due to the high PH and mineral content. , Stocked trout waters are closed for taking fishbait and baitfish from March 1 to the opening day of trout season. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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