FISHING -- Even though there's water, water everywhere this spring, two popular trout fishing lakes on the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge southeast of Colville will be lacking water or completely dewatered this season.

Replacement of the failed water control structures on McDowell Lake will cause some inconvenience for fly fishers, says Jerry Cline, refuge manager.

And Potter's Pond, a popular catch-and-keep trout family trout water, has been drained.

The water level in McDowell Lake was about 8 feet lower than normal a week ago he said. However, even with the spillway gates wide open, the lake level has come up to near normal levels following another round of heavy precipitation, Mike Munts, refuge biologist said Tuesday.

"I expect McDowell's level to drop quickly when the rain quits, if it ever does," Munts said.

McDowell, a fly-fishing-only lake, will open under its normal rules (catch and release) with the start of the lowland lake season on April  22, but access will be more difficult because of the expected lower water level and other factors.

Fishing is restricted at the south end of the lake to minimize disturbance to an active bald eagle nest, Cline said.  "Anglers are required to launch and fish north of the area closed signs," he said.  

River Camp, the campground near the lake, will be open, but sometime this summer the campground and access to McDowell Lake will be temporarily closed for visitor safety while the water control structure is being replaced, he said.  

Potter’s Pond has been drained and the fish moved to Bayley Lake in preparation for water control structure replacement, he said.  State fisheries staff weren't immediately available to get details on that move.  

Bayley, another fly fishing lake, is full and will open to fishing on April 22. 

"The south end of Bayley Lake is temporarily closed, as planned, to protect the active bald eagle nest," Cline said. 

"The campsites at Potter’s Pond and Bayley Lake will be available for use.  However, the access road and campsites will be closed sometime this summer for visitor safety while the Potter’s Pond water control structure is being replaced."

The main auto-tour route through the refuge is passable and the gates will be opened Friday in time for Saturday's opening of the wild turkey hunting season, Munts said.  However, snow or mud is still hampering travel at higher elevations, he said.

Updates: refuge office, (509) 684-8384 or fws.gov/refuge/little_pend_oreille/