Trout Fishing in Washington

There are five primary trout in Washington: rainbow, brook, brown, lake and cutthroat.

Washington's rivers, streams, lakes and ponds offer excellent trout fishing with numerous types populating the waters. The five main trout varieties are rainbow, brown, brook, cutthroat and lake trout. Brookies are the easiest caught and brown trout are the hardest to catch. Before anglers can head out to the waters, however, they must have a fishing license if over the age of 15.

Washington Fishing License

Individuals 15 years of age or older must have a fishing license before they can fish for trout in Washington. Fishermen can apply for the license online at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website. An annual freshwater fishing license for Washington residents aged 16-69 costs $24 and costs $48 for nonresidents as of 2010. Senior citizens, whether Washington residents or not, pay $6 for an annual freshwater fishing license. Children under 15 must complete a catch record card if they are fishing for steelhead trout. The first CRC is free, and subsequent or replacement cards are $10.95.

Where to Fish

The primary types of trout caught in Washington are rainbow, brown, brook, cutthroat and lake trout. These fish can be found in Alder Lake, Baker Lake, Banks Lake, Cle Elum Lake, East Rapids Lake, Franklin D Roosevelt Lake, Kachess Lake, Lake Bryan, Lake Chelan, Lake Crescent, Lake Herbert G West, Lake Merwin, Lake Ozette, Lake Sacajawea, Lake Sammamish, Lake Washington, Lake Whatcom, Mayfield Lake, Moses Lake, Omak Lake, Osoyoos Lake, Palmer Lake, Potholes Reservoir, Riffe Lake, Rimrock Lake, Ross Lake, Spirit Lake, Swift Reservoir, Wanapum Lake and Yale Lake.

Tips for Catching Washington Trout

The Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks its lakes, rivers, streams and ponds with trout. Anglers are advised to check the stocking schedule (see Resources) to find out which waters are stocked and when. The stocking report comes out every Thursday. During the first weeks of stocking, trout tend to stay in the top 3 feet to 5 feet of water, so fishermen are advised to fish in the first couple of weeks after stocking to prevent bird predation and increase the likelihood of catching trout. Anglers should troll shallow during this time and use floats to keep bait in the feeding zone. Later in the season, trout will go deeper to feed. At this time, fishermen should set their baits/hooks on or just off the bottom.

Stocking Plan

For the 2010-2011 fishing season, the Department of Fish and Wildlife plans on stocking 334 Washington lowland lakes with 3.4 million trout that are 8 inches or larger. To increase the chances of catching larger trout, the department is releasing large rainbow and cutthroat trout (1.5 lbs. to 2 lbs. average) in 203 lakes and ponds, and triploid trout weighing 1.5 lbs. on average in 105 lakes and ponds. As for streams, the department plans to stock those with approximately 63,000 catchable-sized trout.

Washington Trout Records

Although the trout in Washington will be about 2 lbs., there have been several record catches in Washington waters. As of 2010, a record-setting 9-lb. brook trout was caught from Wobbly Lake and a 22-lb. brown trout was caught from Sullivan Lake. The 12-lb. cutthroat trout from Crescent Lake and the 35-lb., 7-oz. lake trout caught off of Lake Chelan also set a state record. The state record rainbow trout weighed 25 lbs., 11 oz. and was caught from Rufus Woods Lake.

References

• All About Fishing: Washington Trout Fishing
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: General Licensing Information
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: License Fee
• WDFW: 2010 Hatchery Trout Stocking Plan for Washington Lakes and Streams

Resources

• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Catchable Trout Plants
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: 2010/2011 Sportfishing Rules Pamphlet