Two dozen lakes across Washington state will be stocked with a combined 65,000-plus hatchery rainbow trout for people who want to skip the mall and go fishing after Thanksgiving.
We’ll show you all 24 spots below. There’s probably one or more near you.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has been loading up lakes with fresh trout ahead of Black Friday for more than a decade now, “and it’s a big hit for anglers,” said Steve Caromile, the agency’s inland trout manager.
“If you’ve never participated before, this is a great year to start a new tradition spending time outside with friends and family the day after Thanksgiving,” Caromile said.
Besides the usual keepers, WDFW is planting thousands of extra-large fish they like to call “holiday special” trout. These rainbows measure 16 to 17 inches and weigh as much as three pounds.
The lakes listed below will be stocked by November 29. They are organized by county so you can quickly find a good fishing hole close to home. If the lake’s name is a link, we have an article about it on our website. If not, search for the body of water on WDFW’s Lowland Lakes page for more information.
- Adams and Lincoln counties – Fourth of July Lake
- Chelan County – Roses Lake
- Clark County – Battle Ground Lake and Klineline Pond
- Cowlitz County – Kress Lake
- Island County – Cranberry Lake
- King County – Beaver Lake and Green Lake
- Klickitat County – Rowland Lake
- Lewis County – Fort Borst Park Pond and South Lewis County Park Pond
- Pacific County – Cases Pond
- Pierce County – American Lake and Tanwax Lake
- Snohomish County – Ballinger Lake, Gissburg Ponds, Silver Lake, and Lake Tye
- Spokane County – Hog Canyon Lake
- Stevens County – Hatch Lake
- Thurston County – Black Lake, Long Lake, and Offutt Lake
- Yakima County – Elton Pond North
Several other lakes in Western Washington have been stocked recently enough that you can reasonably expect some trout-fishing success during this holiday. Some top choices would include Bonney Lake and Harts Lake in Pierce County and Munn Lake, St. Clair Lake, and Ward Lake in Thurston County.
Remember that anglers who are 15 years or older must be appropriately licensed to fish in freshwater.
How to Catch Trout
To increase your success, read through our basic guide to trout fishing, which reveals the top baits, lures, and other tackle and tactics that will help you fill that stringer or capture that great catch-and-release photo.