by Bob Johansen, January 22, 2007
MANY BEAUTIFUL WASHINGTON STATE PARKS, SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THIS SCENIC STATE, PROVIDE IDEAL DESTINATIONS FOR THE CAMPING BASS ANGLER
To me, "Camping-Fishing" has always seemed like one word. Sure, some folks do go camping without a fishing rod or a boat -- but I've never figured out how that could be much fun. During the past five decades, I've camped and fished all over the beautiful state of Washington. And, I've camped in all types of places -- state parks, D.N.R. campgrounds, Bureau of Reclamation campgrounds, forest campgrounds, many fine resorts, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife access areas (where permitted) and in many unofficial camp sites in the "boonies."
Over the years, I've found that the state parks are almost always well maintained and the camping fees are always as reasonable as most places. Often, they are near lakes or reservoirs that provide good to excellent bass angling opportunities. In this article, I'll give a brief description of a few of my favorite state park destinations -- parks that provide a nice place to camp, with clean restrooms with hot showers, and some good bass fishing opportunities, either in the park or in waters nearby. Campsites described as "standard" always include a picnic table and a campfire pit.
BATTLEGROUND LAKE: This beautiful state park is located about 21 miles
N.E. from Vancouver, WA. or only about 2 miles N.E. of the little town of Battle Ground. This park provides 35 standard camping sites, a boat launching ramp and a sandy swimming beach. This state park is open year around and their phone number is ((360) 687-4621
Battle Ground Lake is fairly small, with only 27 surface acres, but it is also quite deep, reaching depths of 60 feet. It is located within the state park and provides very good fishing opportunities for planted rainbow and eastern brook trout during the spring and early summer.
As the water warms during late spring, the lake also offers good to very good fishing for largemouth bass. Prime bass habitat in this clear water lake includes some pad fields, old logs and wood in the water and some overhanging brush and trees.
CONCONULLY STATE PARK: This beautiful state park, located about 22
miles N.W. of Omak, provides an excellent camping area while fishing Conconully Lake
and Conconully Reservoir. Conconully State Park provides 65 standard camp sites and
another 10 with water hook-ups. This park is usually open from mid April through October. Their phone number is (509) 826-7404. Conconully Lake Resort, (509) 826-0813 is also located on the shoreline of Conconully Lake. Liar's Cove Resort (509) 826-1288 and Shady Pines Resort (509) 826-2287 are located on the shoreline of Conconully Reservoir.
Both Conconully Lake and Conconully Reservoir have long had a reputation as being excellent trout waters during the spring and into early summer. Due to their high elevation of 2,324 feet, their waters stay cool longer than many lower elevation lakes. Later in the season, as the waters do warm, some lunker-sized largemouth bass can be found finning these waters feasting on the numerous gold fish in the lake.
The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife provides an access area with a concrete plank boat-launching ramp, pit toilets and usually adequate parking space for tow rigs and trailers.
CURLEW LAKE STATE PARK: This beautiful state park is located about
10 miles N.E of the town of Republic on the shoreline of 921 acre Curlew Lake. This
well-maintained park provides 64 standard campsites and another 18 with full hook-ups.
Curlew Lake provides very good fishing for rainbow trout during the early spring. As the water warms in late spring and early summer, the lake provides excellent fishing for modest size largemouth bass. Their phone number is (509) 775-3592.
There are also four private resorts on Curlew Lake that provide excellent camping opportunities. They are: Black's Beach Resort (509) 775-3989, Tiffany's Resort (509) 775-3152, Pine Point Resort (509) 775-3643 and Fisherman's Cove Resort (509) 775-3641.
DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK: This huge state park, located about 10
miles north of Oak Harbor on Highway #20, provides 276 standard camps sites among
tall old growth fir and cedar trees. It also has a nice swimming beach on the shores of
Cranberry lake and a boat launch area into Cranberry Lake that is best suited for canoes
or cartopper boats. No internal combustion engines are allowed on the lake. There is a large fishing dock for those without a boat. The park is open year around and their phone number is (360) 675-2417
Cranberry Lake is a fairly large, shallow lake with 125 surface acres and a
maximum depth of only about 25 feet. With it’s shallow depth and an elevation of only 220 feet, this lake is one of the first to warm up during the early spring. This stained water lake provides good fishing for rainbow and brown trout and for largemouth bass. I once caught a large brown trout on a floating Rapala lure here while casting for bass. There is quite a bit of shoreline fishing opportunities along the northern shoreline.
Prime bass habitat in this stained water lake includes lots of pad fields, lots of overhanging brush and trees, and old logs and stumps in the water. Cranberry Lake is open to year-round angling and statewide rules apply.
IKE KINSWA STATE PARK: This big state park, located on the shoreline of
Mayfield lake, provides 60 standard campsites and another 41 with full hook-ups. It also
has a swimming beach and a boat launch area. The park is open to camping year around
and their phone number is (360) 983-3402.
Mayfield Lake is quite large with 2200 surface acres and quite deep with a
maximum depth of 185 feet. It also contains a lot of fish and several different fish species including rainbow trout, landlocked coho salmon, yellow perch, bluegill, crappie,
largemouth and smallmouth black bass, brown bullhead catfish -- and of course the big
attraction during the past two or three years, the tiger muskies. Tiger muskies to over 20
pounds are now available.
Son Donald and I both hooked a tiger muskie at Mayfield Lake while casting large crankbaits toward the shoreline. We were lucky to land them without using steel leaders. The muskies have very sharp teeth. Jaw landing is not recommended as it is for the black bass.
LAKE SYLVIA STATE PARK: This state park, surrounding Lake Sylvia, is located about one mile north of the town of Montesano in Grays Harbor County. This park provides 35 standard camp sites, several of them right on the shoreline of Lake Sylvia, It also provides a swimming beach and a boat launch.
Lake Sylvia is a small lake covering about 35 acres and reaching depths of 45 feet. The lake provides good fishing for planted rainbow trout and a few cutthroat trout. It also has a population of nice sized largemouth that are a challenge to catch in this stained water lake with a shoreline almost solid with underwater logs and stumps and most of it with overhanging trees and brush.
Lake Sylvia is open to year-round angling and statewide rules apply.
OSOYOOS LAKE STATE PARK: This state park is located in Washington’s scenic Okanogan Valley at an early Indian gathering place. The name "Osoyoos" originated from the Kalispel Indian word "Soyoos" meaning "the narrows." When the lake was named however, a colorful local Irishman named O’Sullivan suggested that no name was complete without the Irishman’s "O." Thus the lake became Lake Osoyoos.
The park is also just south of the Canadian border and is very popular with the camper/ fishermen from both countries -- Canada and the good ol' U.S.A. This park provides 80 standard campsites, a beautiful picnic area, a swimming beach and two very good concrete boat-launching ramps.
Osoyoos Lake is huge lake, 10 miles long and covering 5729 surface acres --3693 of them are north of the border and the rest belong to the United States or actually, to Washington State. This lake provides excellent angling opportunities for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and "steelhead sized" rainbow trout. Anglers should be aware that if they fish north of the border on this lake they do need a Canadian fishing license.
Knowing which side of the border you are fishing is not that easy. There are no signs along the lakeshore informing you that you are entering a foreign country. Kenneth Williams, the area fish biologist explained that one really needs a map to determine boundary location. He explained that on the west side of the lake the prominent point is aptly named "Boundary Point." The border is just north of that landmark.
POTHOLES STATE PARK: This popular state park is located about 25 miles S.W.of the town of Moses Lake in Grant County. The huge park provides 66 standard campsites and another 60 with full hook-ups. The sites with full hook-ups are surrounded by acres of lush green lawn -- the non-hook sites are much more rustic. The park also has two very good boat launches for trailered boats. It is open to camping year around and their phone number is (509) 765-7271. There is also a very nice resort located on the S.W. corner of the Reservoir. The phone number for Mardon Resort is (509) 765-5061.
The huge Potholes Reservoir, 22,200 surface acres at full pool, contains almost all the fresh water fish species in Washington State. Among the most popular are; walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, bluegill and rainbow trout. Maybe the best way to describe the Potholes Reservoir is "lots of water & lots of fish."
STEAMBOAT ROCK STATE PARK: This big state park is nearly surrounded by the fish laden Banks Lake. The park provides 100 camp sites with full hook-ups and 5 standard campsites and a very good concrete boat launching ramp with lots of paved parking.
This huge 24,900 acre lake, like the Potholes Reservoir contains almost every fresh water fish specie in the state of Washington. Probably the most sought after fish are the largemouth and smallmouth bass with walleye and yellow perch also near the top of the list. Both Banks Lake and the Potholes Reservoir are very popular sites for bass tournaments.
MARY HILL STATE PARK: Mary Hill State Park is located about 20 east of The Dalles, Oregon on the north side of the Columbia River. This big, beautiful state park provides 50 very nice campsites with paved parking and full hookups. Overnight campers and the day use crowd can both enjoy acres of lush, green lawns and big shade trees.
The park also provides an excellent boat launching ramp onto Celilo Lake. (The reservoir behind the Dalles Dam on the Columbia River.) Anglers with boats can enjoy very good fishing opportunities for largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as walleye, and (salmon and steelhead when the season is open to sport fishing.)
While visiting Mary Hill State Park you may enjoy a break from bass fishing by spending a little time at the historical Mary Hill Museum of Art and the Stonehenge Memorial monument. They are both very interesting and are located near the state park.
The Stonehenge Memorial Monument is a conjectural model of the complete Salisbury Plain original located in England. It was built by Sam Hill between 1918 and 1930 as a memorial to the 13 men from Klickitat County who died in World War 1.
CROW BUTTE STATE PARK: About 50 miles east of Mary Hill State Park is Crow Butte State Park. This island park provides 50 campsites with full hookups and an excellent concrete boat launching ramp onto Umatilla Lake, the huge 52,000 surface acre reservoir behind John Day Dam. This big pool contains the same fish species as Celilo Lake including lots of lunker sized largemouth and smallmouth bass.
The last time I fished this lake, son Don and I caught and released largemouth up to 5 pounds 12 ounces and a few smallmouth that weighed over 3 pounds. When fishing from a boat, we found the best smallmouth fishing upstream about 11 miles, near the small town of Patterson. We caught most of the smallmouth on crankbaits. The big largemouth hit a spinner bait.
WENBERG STATE PARK: This big state park is located on the shoreline of Lake Goodwin, about 6 miles N.W. of Marysville, Wa. The park provides 65 standard campsites and 10 more with electrical hookups. It also provides an excellent boat launching ramp and plenty of paved parking for tow rigs and trailers.
Lake Goodwin is quite large, covering 547 surface acres and reaching depths of over 50 feet. Fish species include some real lunker largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as yellow perch, brown bullhead catfish and rainbow trout. Prime bass habitat on this clear water lake is mostly private docks of the many shoreline homes.
There is a slot limit on the bass. Only bass less than 12 inches or greater than 17 inches may be kept, and only one over 17 inches. Lake Goodwin is open to year-round fishing.
To get to the park from Marysville, travel north on I-5 to the smokey Point exit (Exit #206) Turn left (west) back across the interstate and follow 172nd St. N.E. (Lakewood Road) for 5 miles to Lake Goodwin Road. There is also a "Wenberg State Park" sign on the same sign post. Turn left (south) for about a mile and a half to state park entrance on the right.
MILLERSYLVANIA STATE PARK: This state park is located on the shoreline of Thurston County’s Deep Lake. In fact, the huge 841 acre park includes about two-thirds of the lake’s shoreline. The park provides 132 standard campsites and an additional 52 sites with water and electrical hookups.
Millersylvania is an old park. The John Miller family gave the property to the state in 1921, stipulating that it forever be used as a park. The park buildings were constructed in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps in stands of huge old growth stands of cedar and fir trees. When the CCC’s work requires replacement, plans call for replicas of the existing buildings.
Deep Lake covers 66 surface acres and is not really as deep as it’s name may indicate. It reaches a maximum depth of only about 17 feet. It is open to fishing from the last Saturday in April through the end of October. Fish species include some very respectable largemouth bass, bluegill and planted rainbow trout. Only bass less than 12 inches or greater than 17 inches may be kept and only one over 17 inches.
This is not intended to be a complete list of Washington's State Parks that provide great angling opportunities along with dependable, quality camping facilities -- only a few of my personal favorites where I have hooked America’s favorite game fish. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as I have.
NOTE: CROW BUTTE AND LAKE CUSHMAN: These parks are no longer State Parks but do provide camping and bass fishing opportunities.