Northwest Fishing Reports

I bank fish Lake Roosevelt in the Winter and I wonder about popular access points being open to the public. Any updates?

Failor Lake might work for you, as well:
https://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/water_access/30206/

I guess I'll believe when I see it with access to Chapman Lake. A few years ago WDFW sent me a Email acting like the deed was close to being done and what I would like to see? I requested some consideration for shore fishermen with a possible easement to the neighboring DNR land. I recall a drive-by...

Lake Sylvia just North of Montesano is a public park with no private homes and plenty of shore access and it is heavily stocked with trout; including (at times) mature hatchery steelhead. I believe no gas motors are allowed. Other public opportunities (Lake Aberdeen?) exist as well; check the WDFW w...

Try joining up with these guys:

http://www.inlandempirebassclub.com/

A fellow fisherman questioned the WDFW rule of ALL trout caught on bait kept or released counting against their daily limit...When in Lake Roosevelt, all trout with an intact adipose fin must be released. In other words, since you can't keep them; those fish don't count against your limit. I said, "...

One lake with great access near you is Lake Padden on the South end of Bellingham. The lake is surrounded by a public park with a walking trail and this year is heavily stocked by WDFW. It opens this Saturday 4/22; so expect a crowd. Several other lakes are just South of Anacortes with varying amoun...

Thank you for the offer of your insight. I have a 1/2 doz. small oddball lakes that I used to hit each summer, in the area of the Sinlahekin Wildlife recreation area. This is just West of Loomis, WA. The last time I spent much time there feels like maybe 8-10 years ago. A few of the lakes at that t...

I was eating a BBQ'ed brook trout (which I enjoyed immensely) and this topic came to mind. When I cleaned this brookie lakeside, I marveled at the beautiful orange colored flesh and knew it would be a good eater. In my experience, I've never been disappointed with cutthroat trout and brown trout, as...

The other day my bank fishing solitude was disrupted by a senior couple dragging a large cooler on wheels. Promptly after setup, on comes the radio. Neither are teenagers; just folks that have to have "White Noise" as a background to any activity. After having my line cast over twice and a near head...

Kokanee are not only silvery, but also have a deeply forked tail with points at the end; check the Latest Reports with pictures from Lake Roosevelt. The steelhead stocked in Rock Lake can be very silvery as well; however, the tail is a dead giveaway; not deeply forked and the tail ends are more roun...

Bodofish, you keep missing the intent of my request to the WDFW, but you did touch on it. All WDFW are not equal with some providing plenty of bank fishing access (like W. Medical Lake) and others virtually none like the accesses you describe. Without even knowing me; I am amused that you put me in ...

Sorry to take exception Bodofish, but not all access sites provide anything resembling reasonable bank fisherman access. In fact at a good many, setting up a chair at the ramp will get you rightfully yelled at or run over.

Boat ramp, access guide is NOT the same thing.

Although the WDFW notes boat launch sites for lakes in the WA Fishing Reg's; they do next to nothing to note WDFW Access Sites that provide adequate space for lake bank fishing access. I don't think a Regional Lake Bank Fisherman's Access Guide put out by each WDFW Regional Office would be cost proh...

Lake Terrell near Ferndale in Whatcom county has channel catfish to 20lbs; I've seen the pictures and caught much smaller ones. Primarily a boat fishing show.

A large WDFW Access is located at the SW corner of the lake, near the large refuge island; follow Sprague's main street West out town for about 6 1/2 miles until you see refuge signs on the right and a PUBLIC FISHING sign. You will be across from the refuge island with all the sea gulls and waterfow...

FYI - Like Sprague Lake, steelhead have been stocked in Rock Lake and should provide some nice results in 2016. They seem to be growing at a fairly quick rate already.

For your kokanee answer, I would contact the WDFW fishery biologist at the Region One Office.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,174902.0.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; W.Medical is still probably your best bet; bring ice for the fish and a couple of plastic grocery bags for the Litter Pigs…I do. Fish Lake has a similar litter problem, too. However, some h...

Please excuse the old man, college graduate that occasionally can't spell.

Tom