Northwest Fishing Reports

I would like to continue my fishing thru the winter months. I don't see many folks fishing washington lakes during the winter. Why is this? Folks fish all year long in eastern washington, including thru the ice. Is there a different technique which should be used as the water cools. I am generally fishing off the bottom with a slip sinker and power bait.

One reason.....weather.

yeah the fishing slows a bit, but who wants to go out in 40* (or less) with wind and rain?? (westside)

Speaking from experience, 30* (or less) ain't bad when the sun is shinning.... (eastside)
I mean heck, I see/hear of people fishing the big eastside lakes all winter in near 0* weather....but look at the pics, the sun is shining in every one of them!!!


A lot of lakes close also, which cuts fishing pressure. As far as technique....I've always gone smaller and slower in winter. A little more finesse if you will.......

I fish both sides year round. I guess that's why I have a house on the boat. Mostly slow with bait. Lots of lakes are open year round. I tend to do better in Sammamish and Washington in the winter, less skiers and big boats.

I too fish year round. Winter is almost the only time I fish trout (most everything thing else is slowed way more than the trout), and usually it's when I do the best. Probably due to bein the only one out there (no pressure) in completely piss poor conditions. Personally, I love winter fishing as I hate crowds while fishing. What is really the most important part is your clothing, remember, LAYERS. I will go with quality thermals (NEVER COTTON, COTTON KILLS), thermal type socks, then wool socks, pants, snow pants, and rubber boots, then the same layers up top all topped off with full rain gear. Yeah, it can be hard to move around, but on my twelve foot aluminum boat, or the fourteen foot canoe there ain't much room to walk anyhow. And I'm not sure about fishing slower, I just do the same old trolling (I hate still fishing for them as I release most of them and still fishing usually ends in a gut hook if you're not absolutely careful). So yeah man, just check the regs for open lakes and HIT IT!!!! I know I will be, except the trout weren't hittin for me the other day, but surprise, those dang bass were goin nutz! Lost count somewhere in the teens for two people, but only three measured up to pound territory, and a slab o'crappie twelve inches. Get good cold/wet weather gear, it makes ALL the difference.

Us this past winter. After trout. It was red hot at Black Lake for a while. Apparently there was a winter plant. Must have been private because it was never listed on WDFW's report.

I fish all year... trout fishing is typically productive even in the colder part of the year. I'll use the same tactics for winter and summer. PB always works great...I use alot of spoons,but let 'em drift a little deeper before I begin my retrieve.

Thanks for the replies. Am glad to hear there are others fishing all year on the westside.

Trout become lethargic in the winter months here because of the lower water temperatures. They kinda just hang around lazily, I find plunking Powerbait or worms to be one of the best tactics, although I have had some success trolling real slow in the cold months as well....

A9 wrote:Trout become lethargic in the winter months here because of the lower water temperatures. They kinda just hang around lazily, I find plunking Powerbait or worms to be one of the best tactics, although I have had some success trolling real slow in the cold months as well....

That is spot-on! Trout are so lethargic in the winter time -- they will not move for hours at end, suspended in the water column, only to feed and move around for 15-20 minutes a day, and then go dormant the rest of the day(s). Winter trout fishing is challenging. I hope to make it to Rufus Woods one of these years and target these winter bows that are so willing to bite in the winter :-).

Beaver Lake will probably get a winter plant of large trips or Brood stock rainbows around the 2nd or 3rd week of November, I'll be out there on my pontoon. Troutnut check out the past Beaver Lake reports.