Fewer trout to be had, but more of the big guys

  • By Wayne Kruse Special to The Herald
  • Sunday, April 18, 2010 12:15am
  • Sports

Even though Washington’s general trout fishing opener may not be quite the event it was back in your daddy’s time, it still constitutes the largest, single-day sporting event on the state’s calendar each year. Well over a quarter-million men, women, kids and dogs will take to our lowland lakes on Saturday in search of an elusive trout dinner, or just a day of camaraderie on the water.

With recreation dollars still hard to come by in these difficult economic times, trout fishing makes a lot of sense. Licenses — $26 for adults and free for kids 14 and under — are one of the better bargains in town. Tackle can also be relatively inexpensive, and there is a well-stocked lake with a public access, or maybe even a fishing pier, within a short drive of your front door. Or, to paraphrase the TV ad, “breaking the family out of that mind-numbing electronic isolation? Priceless!”

There’s even something new and exciting this year for the jaded expert — the opportunity to spring for what the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife calls its “2-pole endorsement.” Paying an additional $24.50 ($6.50 for seniors) when buying a license gets you permission to fish with two rods in most Washington lakes.

The obvious question then is: “Do I also get to catch twice as many trout?” And the equally obvious answer is, “of course not.” Standard daily limits, gear rules and other regulations will still apply, but fishing two rods will be a fun opportunity to try different types of baits or lures side-by-side to see which is really more productive; or to work two different depths at the same time; or to impress the guy in the next boat with your level of sophistication.

A few lakes are not included in the two-rod option, and they’re listed on the Web at wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/twopole/lakes.php.

The general outlook for the 2010 lowland lake fishing season is a mixed bag. Because of budget constraints and the closing of the Bellingham Hatchery, trout plants in many northwest Washington lakes are down from last year. Particularly plants of the “jumbo” rainbow of 14 inches and a half-pound or more which the Bellingham facility produced so well over the years.

The state has tweaked the system, according to hatchery manager Doug Hatfield, to “spread the pain” of smaller plants throughout the agency’s Region 4 (Pierce County to Canada). The cuts will average about 10 percent or so, and even that won’t be quite so noticeable because of a one-time increase in the number of big triploid rainbow purchased from a private contractor (about 17,000 more fish than last year, statewide), intended specifically to help ameliorate hatchery losses. The sterile, fast-growing triploid ‘bows will average a pound and a half each.

So the rule of thumb in the lakes around here this spring will be: somewhat fewer trout, but more of the big guys — probably a positive tradeoff in most anglers’ views.

Based on historical data, and numbers from last year’s opening weekend, here’s a rundown on lakes that should be good choices for Saturday morning:

The Top 10

Lake Erie: If there is such a thing as a foolproof, never-miss water on which to nail a five-fish limit of fat rainbow opening morning, anywhere in Western Washington, Lake Erie is the place. It put out essentially limits for all hands last year on the opener, and should repeat. A shallow lake which warms rapidly, definitely an advantage if temps prior to the opener have been cold. No jumbos this year, and the plant has been cut by 2,800 fish to 7,280 standard size rainbow, but a new plant of 2,300 triploids will sweeten the pot. The lake lies just below Heart Lake, south of Anacortes. Turn west on Campbell Lake Road from Highway 20, at Lake Campbell.

Lake Howard: A small jewel, Howard lies a mile and a half past Lake Goodwin in the “resort lakes” area northwest of Marysville. High-quality trout and relatively uncrowded conditions are the trademarks here, but Howard can also produce the numbers: 4.0 trout per rod on the 2008 opener, and an even better rate of 4.24 fish last year. No jumbos this year, and the plant of standard rainbow is down 900 fish to a total of 2,084. The lake will get a new triploid plant, however, of 720 ‘bows going 1 to 2 pounds.

Heart Lake: Next door to, and pretty much a clone of, Lake Erie, the smaller Heart Lake lies in an attractive park setting, offers a fair amount of bank fishing opportunity and a large access area, and is well worth the drive north. Can be crowded, attracting a couple of hundred anglers on last year’s opener, but it handles the pressure well. Put out 3.7 rainbow per rod in 2009, second best in Skagit County. The plant of 7,200 standard rainbow is down 2,800 fish from last year, but augmented with a nice slug of 2,420 triploids.

Lake Mcmurray: This good-sized lake on Highway 9 between Arlington and Sedro Woolley in Skagit County fell off a little on last year’s opener, but not much, producing a catch average of 3.2 rainbow per rod. Planted trout this year won’t be the prime, 14-inch jumbos of the past, however, and there are no triploids scheduled for McMurray. The 13,200 standard rainbow going in this year is 4,000 fish below last year’s jumbo plant. In spite of these changes, the lake remains a favorite with many area anglers and you won’t be lonesome on opening morning. Small, tight access requires cooperation; don’t park on the blacktop, nor in front of driveways or mailboxes.

Lake Riley: Small, Arlington-area lake lies east of town off the Jim Creek Road, shallow and marshy, with almost no bank fishing opportunity. Long known for smallish trout, the lake had two good years on plants of 3,000 jumbos, but will back down to standard 10-inch fish this year, and no triploids. Plant of 2,700 standard rainbow is down 300 fish from last year’s total.

Lake Serene: Mostly locals know about this small, urban lake in Lynnwood, but it can be good early in the year (it’s a year-rounder) and comes equipped with a public access. Put out better than three rainbow per rod when checked last year and while the plant is down about 400 fish this year, it still totals a very reasonable 3,600 standard rainbow. Usually planted in April and again in October. Take Shelby Road west from Highway 99 to 43rd Ave. W., then north to access.

Lake Armstrong: Small lake north of Arlington off Highway 9 is very temperature sensitive, and depending on weather conditions can either be a limit fishery, or mediocre. It was pretty good last year, at better than three rainbow per rod, an uptick from the previous year’s opener. Small, difficult access. Usually a little more elbow room than some other opening-morning waters, but not always. Plant of 5,000 rainbow is the same as last year, but will be standard “catchables” rather than jumbos this time around. Pretty fair cutthroat fishing later in the year.

Deer Lake: Whidbey Island’s top “opening day-type” trout fishery, the lake lies a mile west of Clinton and will be stocked with 5,200 catchable rainbow and 2,500 jumbo rainbow. Both those numbers are down slightly from last year, and there are no triploids scheduled. Has reputation for a high percentage of holdover trout each year to about 15 inches. Access on east shore.

Lake Bosworth: While this Granite Falls-area lake won’t get any triploids this year, it will receive almost the same plant which produced a nice three-trout-per-rod average on last year’s opener — 7,700 catchables and 3,000 jumbos. Access and launch on northeast shoreline.

Lake Ki: Long a favorite and often the top producer in Snohomish County on opening morning, Ki has fallen off, to a degree, the past couple of years. Not scheduled this time around for any triploids, and no standard-size rainbow, it will instead get slugged with 15,000 jumbos from the Arlington hatchery. Nice fish, but not quite the one-half to one-pound Bellingham stock it replaces. Still, this is the same size plant which produced last year’s very good 2.6-fish average, and it is likely to repeat. East of Lake Goodwin in the resort lakes area northwest of Marysville. Rough boat access is right in the middle of traffic, and be very careful where you park, if you don’t want a citation or a tow bill.

Other Lakes: Lake Sixteen in Skagit County is up and down, but can be good. Lake Padden, southeast of Bellingham is worth the drive as hands-down the best kids’ fishing lake in the general area, and it gets hammered this year with a huge plant of 4,000 triploids in addition to its regular plant. Tye Lake, on the west edge of Monroe, is another great kids’ spot and it’s one of the few lakes in the region due to receive a larger plant than last year — 196 triploids and 1,000 standard rainbow. Storm Lake also is scheduled for a larger plant — 7,500 standard and 3,000 jumbo rainbow — this year, and it produced at least fair fishing early in the season last year. Blackmans Lake, in Snohomish, drops on May 1 from a five-fish daily limit to three fish, which should help spread out the great fishing for triploids planted by local clubs and a new plant by the state of 2,000 jumbo rainbow. Fishing piers, public access, a top prospect all year. Lake Goodwin and Lake Roesiger, both large lakes with excellent fishing most of the spring, summer and fall, open year-around, public access. Roesiger will get 500 triploids in April.

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