There is one Washington lake that gets stocked with more legal-sized trout than any other in the state.
And there’s a very good chance it’s close enough to home to go fishing there with a day trip.
Mayfield Lake, which is a 2,250-acre reservoir on the Cowlitz River in Western Washington, currently is in the process of being planted with 72,000 keeper trout between April and August.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife literally stocked millions of trout statewide each year, but nowhere gets more rainbows that are ready to catch than Mayfield.
Trout can survive all year at Mayfield, thanks to the cold incoming flows from the Cowlitz River and other tributaries like the Tilton River.
Maybe more important to WDFW’s decision to load up the lake with hatchery-reared trout, is that Mayfield Lake (a.k.a. Mayfield Reservoir) is under a half hour east of Interstate 5 in Lewis County. Before you know it, U.S. 12 crosses the reservoir and various other roads lead to prime fishing spots.
Mayfield Lake’s central location means that residents of Olympia and several other cities can be fishing it in about an hour. Anglers living in Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver could get here and be casting a line in two hours or less.
Besides reliable trout fishing, Mayfield Lake also has one of Washington state’s stocking programs for tiger muskies, a large and fierce predator that is hard to catch but unforgettable on the line. Bass and other sport fish also inhabit these waters.
But it’s trout that bring out the bulk of anglers.
Bait fishing is always a go-to tactic when angling for stocked trout. That’s especially true for bank fishing. PowerBait, nightcrawlers, salmon eggs, and other baits will put trout on your stringer at Mayfield, just as they do in other trout fisheries.
Boat fishing is very popular at Mayfield, where there are plenty of amenities for those who are getting out on the lake. While bait works out here as well, trolling is often the best way to cover lots of water and find more fish.
Mayfield Lake is home to multiple parks, resorts, boat launches, and other access points. Ike Kinswa State Park is one of the popular destinations.
Here are some more free resources on the Best Fishing in America website that you should check out:
Editor’s Note: Stocking information used for this article comes from WDFW’s 2026 Statewide Trout and Kokanee Stocking Plan.