Northwest Fishing Reports

I think this is an OK forum for this question: I am bamboozled by the number and variety of parking/access permits required in WA! Besides the WDFW pass you get with a fishing license (which apparently is different than the "Discover Pass"), what pass/passes do you find give the most "bang for the buck" at freshwater fishing locations, both lake and river, in the State?

The free one that comes with your license. Discover Pass is for the State Parks (no free lunch, still have to pay at many venues even after paying $80!!!!) and some State Forest access/places. I refuse to buy one, rotten bastard pirates! I do buy a NFS pass, it gets me launches at some of the places I go and they don't try to bend you over on the price, it's also good at most Forest Service campgrounds.

Bodofish wrote:The free one that comes with your license.

is good at SOME boat launches and SOME other stuff like hunting and bird watcing type place IF the land is owned by the Wa state dept of fish and wildlife only


Discover Pass is for the State Parks (no free lunch, still have to pay at many venues even after paying $80!!!!) and some State Forest access/places.

That would be the $30 anual Discover pass,and that Dept of Natural Resources areas which includes some boat launches and hunting bird watching hiking places as well as at the state parks


I refuse to buy one, rotten bastard pirates! I do buy a NFS pass, it gets me launches at some of the places I go and they don't try to bend you over on the price, it's also good at most Forest Service campgrounds.

The $80 State parks pass is for state park boat launches, etc., and there is no launch or parking fee. The $10 daily discover pass still needs a daily $7 launch fee. The $30 discover pass still has a $7 daily boat launch fee.

Figure out what lakes/rivers you will be using, what is required at those launches/parking areas, how many times a year you'll be using them, add up the daily fees and compare to the fees for the yearly/anual passes, which item will cost you less, and go from there. One pass that I've been buying for the past few years I have saved $200 to $425 a summer. Last year I saved $425 just during spring, the summer, and fall.

...

wdfw does not have any sites at any state parks, that I've heard of, those are only State Park sites and you need a Discover pass or State Parks pass. The WDFW pass is no good at those.

...

gfakkema wrote:

Amx wrote:wdfw does not have any sites at any state parks, that I've heard of, those are only State Park sites and you need a Discover pass or State Parks pass. The WDFW pass is no good at those.

But the discover pass is good at any wdfw site. That's why I just toss the wdfw pass and only use the discover pass.

It's my understanding that if the property is owned by the Wa Dept of Fish and Wildlife, only the WDFW access pass is good there. And there are few of those. I've also not heard of or seen any web site that lists the Dept of Natural Resorces, or WDFW sites and what pass is good where. Only can be seen when you get to a boat launch and if there is or is not a blue sign that says the discover pass is required. If no sign, then the wdfw access pass is all that's needed, at boat launches other than Wa State Parks launches.

Yes it is still confusing, and no they aren't any good at explaining it all, or giving info on the web for EVERY boat launch, hunting, bird watching, hiking location in the state, like they SHOULD provide.

...

And that is where and why it's still so confusing.

And the only list I've seen was short and incomplete. No way it included every lake and launch in the state.

...

...

Amx wrote:wdfw does not have any sites at any state parks, that I've heard of, those are only State Park sites and you need a Discover pass or State Parks pass. The WDFW pass is no good at those.

Despite the fact that the Discover Pass can be used at WDFW sites, it, the Discover Pass is not needed in any way at any WDFW site, if you have the WDFW pass. It's a way for the State to charge those without a Fishing/Hunting License for site use. The State will and does put up miss leading signs but the fact remains you do not need a Discover Pass at any WDFW site.

They've made the Discover Pass as complicated as possible, so most people throw their hands up in frustration. I'm always checking passes at trailheads and parking areas and you see every form of pass thrown up on the mirror or dash. 84% of the Discover Pass money goes to State Parks, 8% to WDFW and 8% to Dept. Natural Resources (DNR) I don't use State Parks, so my WDFW free pass works for every thing I need it for. There are many DNR areas in E.WA that a DP isn't required, so all the gazillion Discover Pass signs you see plastered all over E.WA now are for people that don't have a fishing license and like others have said a way to make everyone think they need a pass. Many signs were put up in error, so don't always believe the sign. The Discover Pass is for your vehicle, so you can still walk in. Since 99% of DNR land is gated in W.WA I refuse to give the $%^&^& money. I wonder how many millions were spent putting up all those signs?.....I've not heard of anyone ever getting a ticket using DNR land and not having a pass and that includes some of the most popular DNR hiking trailheads along I-90. I've fished 100's a days all over the state and most of the time forget to put up my WDFW pass and never been ticketed. It's all a fine way to suck every last dime from you.

BTW, the NW Forest Pass was struck down by the 9th district court last summer, so that pass is in limbo now and should be going away or will be a very limited pass. I would not bother with that pass either they aren't ticketing from what I've seen.

Glad I'm not the only one who gets confused! Add that to the "Snoho County Park Pass" and the state "Sno Pass" and the Fed Park Pass and my head starts to spin Well, all we can do is try, right Guys and Gals?

Note to Old Timers, in addition to the Everett boat ramp free weekday pass for Old Farts, the NPS has a lifetime senior pass for those 62 and older for $10...and it covers everyone in the vehicle visiting a National Park or other federally managed lands where an access fee is charged: "The Forest Service, the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation honor the Senior Pass at sites where Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee(s) are charged."

I heard a few months ago that the percentage of the money going to the DNR is now less, and the 8% to the WDFW and 8% State Parks was increased. Has that happened, or are they waffleing on that also?

dutchman2858 wrote:Glad I'm not the only one who gets confused! Add that to the "Snoho County Park Pass" and the state "Sno Pass" and the Fed Park Pass and my head starts to spin Well, all we can do is try, right Guys and Gals?

Note to Old Timers, in addition to the Everett boat ramp free weekday pass for Old Farts, the NPS has a lifetime senior pass for those 62 and older for $10...and it covers everyone in the vehicle visiting a National Park or other federally managed lands where an access fee is charged: "The Forest Service, the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation honor the Senior Pass at sites where Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee(s) are charged."

That pass used to be available to anyone over 50 for $30 yearly. It was the "Golden Age Pass", it was a great deal!!!! But it's no longer available as it conflicted too many other passes, AKA it took too many people off the hook for all the pet BS passes.
<On Soapbox>
The Discover Pass just jerks my chain. I send a letter weekly to my elected officials. Inslee is about to start receiving them too as his predecessor did. Passes to access land that we the residents of the State already own and pay (paid) for with taxes. Not to mention the State Forests are supposed to be a self sustaining operation that not only pays for it's self but other programs as well, yes the State is in the private business sector. The money is to come from timber/resource sales through the managed use of the lands, much the same as the NFS does. The State did not buy the lands to set aside as parks or green belts, it bought them to generate revenue with the resources. And now every time a new pass is created it limits an increasing number of citizens (owners) legal and lawful right to access the land. Land use by the States citizens was to be a "perk" of the State being in the Timber business, just like the NFS. It's nothing short of financial discrimination.
<Off Soapbox>