Northwest Fishing Reports

Im am tired of catching bows.Dont get me wrong rainbows are one of my favorite fish to fish for but Im trying to switch it up a bit What are the best places along I-90 as far east as Moses Lake(or western WA) for catching "other trout" ?

gpc, I'd recommend you go on the WDFW website and download the 2006 and 2007 statewide stocking reports, and possibly the 2005 report. These list, by county, lakes that are regularly planted with catchables and fry. Also lists what kind of trout. I download it every year just to have available as a "quick reference" should I head to a new lake or region. It allows me to see stocking trends and prepare accordingly. Combine it with a Washington State Gazetteer and you'll be set!

Dusty lake in the Quincy Wildlife reserve has brown trout...


Kachess lake is supposed to have lake trout and kokanee..

I've read reports of good fishing there but am skeptical as to the
authenticity of the accounts... (e.g. I think the authors were pulling our legs about
the big mackinaw, but there is no doubt in my mind that it has kokanee and probably
a few nice cutts)..


keechelus is supposed to have some nice cutts and more kokanee... and you don't need to troll
pop gear and/or small dodgers to catch kokanee........ At rimrock lake the time honored method for
catching kokes is with a maggot impaled on a small hook and dangling below a small bobber....


Lost lake (just south of easton) is supposed to have some nice brookies and most of the
mountain lakes and/or any hidden and underutilized beaver ponds you might be able to find
will probably have brookies in them.....


and about 6 or 7 years ago I had a long discussion with a sportie who was very high on
the brown trout fishing in Cooper river... Cooper river is a tributary of the cle elum river where
it flows between Salmon La Sac and Lake Cle Elum......

but I never followed up to verify the claim....

There's always Twin Lake Cutts in the cascade lakes. I consider them prettier than goldens.

I love taking a different path from bows too on occasion...Nice to see something different on the end of your line...
My favorite though, in terms of trout:
1. Rainbow
2. Cutthroat (Sea-Run included)
3. Brown
4. Lake (Mackinaw)
5. Brook

Nobody mentioned the ellusive golden trout. It's been stocked in very very few lakes in Washington, mainly on the west side. The state record is just shy of four pounds on these trout. Has any of you guys ever caught one? I'd love to catch one and see it up close, they are suppose to be a beautiful fish. I would bow down in front of it if I caught one of these beauties.

beerman1981 wrote:Nobody mentioned the ellusive golden trout. It's been stocked in very very few lakes in Washington, mainly on the west side. The state record is just shy of four pounds on these trout. Has any of you guys ever caught one? I'd love to catch one and see it up close, they are suppose to be a beautiful fish. I would bow down in front of it if I caught one of these beauties.

Iv only seen pictures of golden trout let alone seing one face to face. I would love to see one and I hope it will be me who catches it. I know the lakes are rare but it would be worth the hike to see one of those beuties

I have never heard of the golden trout I will have to look that up now. Sounds about as rare as actually finding gold, very interesting.

bustin wrote:I have never heard of the golden trout I will have to look that up now. Sounds about as rare as actually finding gold, very interesting.

They like high elevations. Below is a picture of one. The official Washington State Record is 3.91 pounds out of an unknown lake in Okanagon County. I checked out the stocking of them on the WDFW's website, and a few lakes in the northern puget sound area have stocked small quantities of these beauties. These lakes include Crawford Lake, Crystal Lake, Edds Lake and Jake's Lake.(http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/regions/reg4/index.htm). Also, 200 were planted in Sidle Lake in Okanagon County this year. Best of luck catching these beauties. I wish I had more time to attempt the challenge. I would love to catch one!

Joe

On the South side of I-90 and about a mile or two past hiway 18, there is a lake with cutthroat. 30 years ago my Father parked on the shoulder and walked into the woods finding another fishermen already fishing the shore. The guy caught a nice cutt using a worm.

Check the 2007 Hatchery Trout Stocking Plan on the WSDFW site for the "other" trout. They're planting golden trout fingerlings and Tiger Trout fingerlings in certain lakes in the state. Tiger trout = Cross between a brown trout and a brook trout. I think they are sterile but I might be wrong. Google "tiger trout" for some cool pictures.

GJorgy wrote:Check the 2007 Hatchery Trout Stocking Plan on the WSDFW site for the "other" trout. They're planting golden trout fingerlings and Tiger Trout fingerlings in certain lakes in the state. Tiger trout = Cross between a brown trout and a brook trout. I think they are sterile but I might be wrong. Google "tiger trout" for some cool pictures.

Yeah they do. I was really suprised to see how many diffrent type trout fingerlings they planted in king county alone

Hopefully the loons and mergansers don't eat too many of the fingerlings. On my list of "Fish I Want To Catch Before I Die" the tiger is definately on the list along with the golden.

GJorgy wrote:Hopefully the loons and mergansers don't eat too many of the fingerlings. On my list of "Fish I Want To Catch Before I Die" the tiger is definately on the list along with the golden.

Lenice and dusty lake both have tiger trout in them. They are in the columbia basin and have more rainbow and browns in them but ther is still a nice population of tigers

Have you guys ever cought a tiger trout they are also not many around. I cought one last year at beta lake close to moses lake. They are a crazy striped fish. The one i caught was not that big but i have never seen a fish like that. I think it is a mix between a brook and a brown i dont realy know.

BIG PaPa wrote: Have you guys ever cought a tiger trout they are also not many around. I cought one last year at beta lake close to moses lake. They are a crazy striped fish. The one i caught was not that big but i have never seen a fish like that. I think it is a mix between a brook and a brown i dont realy know.

not my tiger

I watched a large tiger be landed a couple of weekends ago at Fish Lake in Cheney. That was the first time I had seen one.

if kokanees are "trout" then you should all try clear lake in pierce cty.

Volk wrote:if kokanees are "trout" then you should all try clear lake in pierce cty.

Well techinally they are a "land locked salmon" but I call them trout and feel they are more of a trout than a salmon. Yeah I heard clear lake anglers do real well on kokanee,they taste way better than a rainbow as well