Lowland lakes open for trout fishing
Published 11:07 pm Sunday, April 26, 2009
Opening weekend of fishing season brought anglers young and old to Snohomish County lakes Saturday and Sunday.
State fisheries officials were expecting about 300,000 fishermen across the state to try their luck in freshly stocked lakes.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife annually stocks several hundred Washington lakes with millions of hatchery-reared fish. That includes nearly 70,000 jumbo-sized rainbow and cutthroat trout, averaging 1½ to 2 pounds, as well as even larger brood stock trout.
Many lakes are open year-round for fishing, but there are about 270 lakes that open each year on the last Saturday in April.
In Snohomish County, lakes such as Armstrong, north of Arlington; Bosworth, south of Granite Falls; and Howard, north of Marysville, opened Saturday.
It was a good weekend for fishing, said Ron Horrace of Everett. Horrace has spent countless hours fishing on Martha Lake over the years.
He had three rainbow trout under his belt by Sunday afternoon and was going back for more after dinner.
Fishing is Horrace’s favorite hobby. “I spend more time fishing than I do anything else, except for work,” he said. “I enjoy the company of people. And it’s relaxing.”
John Anderson, a state fisheries manager, said the lure of fishing is becoming more than sport and being outdoors.
“It’s some of the cheapest entertainment you can get,” Anderson said.
A Washington freshwater fishing license, valid through March 31, 2010, costs $21.90 for people 16 to 69 years old. Fifteen-year-olds and people with disabilities can buy a license for $8.21, and those 70 or older can get one for $5.48. Children 14 years and younger do not need a fishing license.
Just which lakes had the best fishing will be known in the next few days. Fisheries department employees were doing a “creel census” Saturday and Sunday.
State Fisheries Director Phil Anderson said families could keep travel costs down with good fishing close to home.
“This may be the best time ever for those who used to fish to get back into it with family and friends,” Anderson said. “Costs remain low and our hatchery stocking is at a peak.”
Jim Uehara, another fisheries manager, said more than 19.8 million trout have been placed in lakes and streams throughout the state for this year’s fishing, including fish stocked in waters that opened earlier this spring or are open year-round.
Reporter Katya Yefimova contributed to this story.
Reporter Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
