WDFW Stocking 47 Lakes with Trout in Western Washington for ‘Spring Break’
OutdoorHub 03.15.13
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 rainbow trout ready to bite on a worm or lure.
Averaging 10-12 inches in length, those fish will be released into 47 year-round fishing lakes in Grays Harbor, Thurston, Pierce, Mason, Kitsap, Island, King and Snohomish counties throughout the month (see below).
Chris Donley, WDFW inland fish program manager, said the trout release is timed to give fishing families an opportunity to spend time outdoors during spring school holidays – and tune up their gear before the start of the state’s main trout season April 27.
“Spring is coming, and a lot of people are eager to go fishing,” Donley said. “Our goal is to give them something to catch on both sides of the Cascades at a time when the weather is warming up and students have a break from school.”
All of the lakes stocked in Western Washington are located in or near cities and towns, providing an easy getaway for families and young people. For example, Green Lake in Seattle is situated in a city park and can easily be fished from the shoreline or from docks. It is scheduled to receive 17,400 rainbows.
Some lakes, such as Wapato in Pierce County and Long’s Pond in Thurston County, are open only to anglers under 15 years old. Fishing regulations for all lakes are outlined in the Fish Washington rule pamphlet, available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/ .
Hundreds of other year-round lakes around the state have been – or soon will be – stocked for springtime fishing. For weekly trout stocking information go to http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/ .
All anglers 15 and older must have a valid fishing license to fish in state waters. Current licenses expire at midnight March 31, so anglers planning to fish beyond that date must purchase a 2013-14 license, available online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ ), by phone (1-866-320-9933) and from license dealers around the state.
Information about fishing prospects at lakes throughout the state is available at WDFW’s Fish Washington website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/ )
| Lakes/ponds to be stocked with trout in March 2013 | ||||
| County | Lake/Pond | # Trout | Date (approx.) | Details |
| Grays Harbor | Duck Lake | 1,100 | Week of 3/16 | |
| Lake Sylvia | 1,500 | 3/28-3/29 | ||
| Vance Creek Pond #1 | 1,000 | 3/28-3/29 | Special opening for juvenile, senior and disabled anglers only | |
| Island | Cranberry Lake | 6,500 | 3/12 | Good shoreline access |
| Lone Lake | 3,000 | 3/6 | Selective gear rules only; no bait | |
| King | Alice Lake | 1,200 | 3/12-3/15 | |
| Angle Lake | 3,000 | 3/28 | Kokanee also available. Boat ramp open, parking limited by construction. | |
| Beaver Lake | 7,000 | 3/18-3/22 | Good shoreline access | |
| Green Lake | 17,400 | 3/13-3/19 | Good youth fishing | |
| Meridian Lake | 10,000 | 3/14 | Good shoreline access | |
| Sawyer Lake | 1,500 | 3/14 | ||
| Kitsap | Kitsap Lake | 5,000 | 3/6 | 12-14 inches |
| Mason | Kokanee Lake | 8,000 | 3/5 | 12-14 inches |
| Lost Lake | 5,000 | 3/26 | ||
| Nahwatzel Lake | 5,000 | 3/7 | 12-14 inches | |
| Spencer Lake | 11,000 | 4/1-4/5 | ||
| Pierce | American Lake | 12,000 | * | |
| Bonney Lake | 1,000 | 3/13 | ||
| Bradley Lake | 1,000 | 3/29 | ||
| Florence Lake | 3,900 | 3/18 | ||
| Harts Lake | 6,480 | 3/19 | ||
| Louise Lake | 2,340 | 3/20 | ||
| Spanaway Lake | 18,000 | * | ||
| Steilacoom Lake | 5,000 | * | ||
| Wapato Lake | 1,680 | 3/13 | Anglers under age 15 only | |
| Waughop Lake | 1,500 | 3/26 | ||
| Whitman Lake | 2,000 | 3/26 | ||
| Snohomish | Ballinger Lake | 6,400 | 3/12 | |
| Blackmans Lake | 4,000 | 3/18-3/22 | Good shoreline access | |
| Cassidy Lake | 4,000 | 3/18-3/22 | ||
| Chain Lake | 2,000 | 3/25-3/29 | ||
| Flowing Lake | 6,000 | * | ||
| Gissberg Ponds (Twin Lakes) | 2,000 | 3/5 | Anglers under age 15 only at north pond; good shoreline access | |
| Ketchum Lake | 2,000 | 3/5 | ||
| Loma Lake | 1,700 | 3/19 | ||
| Lost (Devil’s) Lake | 1,100 | 3/18 | ||
| Martha Lake | 2,500 | 3/5 | ||
| Panther Lake | 1,500 | 3/18 | ||
| Shoecraft Lake | 5,000 | 3/18 | ||
| Silver Lake | 6,000 | 3/13 | Good shoreline access | |
| Tye Lake | 2,000 | 3/25-3/29 | Good shoreline access | |
| Thurston | Black Lake | 25,000 | 3/15 & 21 | |
| Long’s Pond | 2,000 | 3/28 | Anglers under age 15 only | |
| Lake St. Clair | 9,500 | 3/21 & 3/28 | ||
| Lawrence Lake | 10,000 | * | ||
| Munn Lake | 500 | 3/27 | Catch and release only; no bait | |
| Offutt Lake | 4,000 | * | Also received 1,110 cutthroat | |
*Stocking date(s) not yet determined
