by Bob Johansen, July 23, 2007

BIG, BEAUTIFUL AND BONIFUL, LAKE OSOYOOS IS SHARED BETWEEN THE GOOD OLD USA AND OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH, B.C. CANADA

Okanogan, actually "Ocanuckane," is an Indian word meaning rendezvous. It was originally applied to the northern Okanogan Valley around Lake Osoyoos, where years ago, Indians gathered for their annual Potlatch and to stock up on fish and game.
Lake Osoyoos is still a popular rendezvous for many modern day campers and fishermen. The name Osoyoos originated from another 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". The lake became Lake Osoyoos.
This big, beautiful lake is ten miles long, covers 5729 surface acres and is split by the United States/ Canadian border. British Columbia owns 3693 of these watery surface acres and the rest are in Washington State. It is a mixed species lake with abundant lunker rainbow trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, perch and crappie.
This is a lake where you can fish for British Columbia's jumbo rainbow trout and lunker smallmouth bass without even going to Canada or buying a Canadian fishing license. These "international lunkers" are oblivious to the border and consequently fin back and forth without knowing or caring which country they are swimming in.
Actually your chances of hooking an American rainbow are probably much greater than catching one from north of the border, especially if you just fish on the Washington side. Mr. Kenneth Williams, an area fish biologist, says the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks about 50,000 rainbow annually. The lake is rich in fish food and the rainbow grow to very impressive sizes, reaching several pounds. Trolling is a popular method of trout fishing at Lake Osoyoos. All standard trolling enticements, including Wedding Ring Spinners tipped with worm, small spoons like Dick Nite, spinners and small plugs like the Flatfish and Hot Shots all work well.
If you do fish this lake without a Canadian fishing license, be sure you do it south of the border. A Canadian fishing license is required to fish the Canadian portion of the lake and Williams says it is strictly enforced. Knowing which side of the border you are fishing in is not easy. There are no signs along the lake informing that you are entering a foreign country. Williams explains that on the west side of the lake, the prominent point is appropriately named "Boundary Point." The border is just north of that point.
Smallmouth bass are now one of the most popular fish in Lake Osoyoos. Williams says the smallmouth originated from a plant made by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife above the town of Riverside in the Okanogan River during the 1950's. Several years ago he conducted an intensive creel census because many local bass anglers thought the spawning smallmouth bass were being over fished.
Williams said the conclusions of the census were -- the smallmouth bass were growing at among the fastest rates in North America, the catch rates compared favorably with some of the best bass fishing in North America, the fish population was well represented by age classes (5-8 years) and that fishing was not a problem at that time.
The largemouth bass also grow to impressive sizes in Lake Osoyoos, some tipping the scales at five, six and even seven pounds. Quarter ounce jigs and spinner baits with live rubber skirts with a plastic or pork trailer are effective enticements for these lunkers. Black is among the best color for jigs, spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Crankbaits in gold, silver and crawfish patterns are good choices for both the largemouth and the smallmouth.
Yellow perch are also a fish specie with an avid following at Lake Osoyoos. They are plentiful, grow big (many 12 inches or more), are easy to catch and are excellent table fare. There is no size or number possession limit for the perch. Most anglers filet their catch into beautiful, white, boneless filets. When rolled in flour, dipped in an egg-milk mix, rolled in cracker crumbs and fried in hot oil to a golden brown, they will tempt most any palate. My wife and I released our bass but enjoyed a nice evening meal of fresh perch filets during one of our camping trips to Osoyoos.
Osoyoos Lake State Veterans' Memorial Park is located at the south of the lake and borders on the dammed up portion of the Okanogan River. Several camp sites are located on the water's edge. Boaters can pull their boat up to the camp site and leave it in the water for an early morning start. Boaters will also find excellent launch facilities with 2 concrete ramps, a dock between them and just the right slope.
The big, beautiful park provides 86 non-hookup campsites with picnic tables and camp-fire stoves and 60 picnic sites located among nice shade trees and lush lawns. The park has modern restrooms with hot showers and a trailer dumping station. There is also 300 feet of swimming beach, a bath house and food and grocery concession. The park's phone number is (509) 476-3321.
While camping at Lake Osoyoos, anglers may enjoy exploring other premium fishing lakes in Washington's northern Okanogan County. Spectacle Lake and Wannacut Lake are both premier lakes for rainbow trout fishing. Palmer Lake was stocked with small-mouth bass during the early 1980's and now provides great fishing for the "brawling bronze back." Palmer also hosts a population of largemouth bass and crappie. Whitestone Lake is also in the area and provides excellent angling for many fish species including largemouth bass. All of these lakes should provide great angling opportunities during the spring, summer and fall.
The town of Oroville is located just across Highway #97, from the park, and can provide motels, food, gas, fishing gear, ice, spirits and most other amenities for the traveling fisherman. For more information on Washington State game fish, call the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife at (360)902-2200 or write them at, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Wa.98501-1091 or check the Fishing in Washington pamphlet, published by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife for current rules and regulations.

July 2007