Large Fish Continue To Roll Through Columbia

The Columbia Basin may no longer be the best area in the Northwest to catch foot-long trout, but it’s a good place to explore for large fish.

Selective fishery and fly-fishingonly lakes are loaded with big trout, the Potholes Reservoir holds big walleyes, Lake Roosevelt harbors the largest kokanee in the Inland Northwest and other Columbia River impoundments are home to sturgeon and the final destination of salmon, shad and steelhead.

For pan-sized trout and an occasional trophy-size fish, Okanogan County is the state’s leader. A dozen or so lakes kick out limits of 8- to 12-inch trout, some to 22 inches.

Dry Falls Lake in the Sun Lakes State Park has 11- to 13-inch rainbows and some rainbows and browns in the 15- to 20-inch class. The selective fishery lake is particularly attractive to fly fishers.

Nearby Blue and Park lakes will be crowded the first few days of the fishing season, but they won’t provide the kind of fishing anglers remember. Best fishing should be at Blue, where the yearling rainbows are 10 to 11 inches. Carryover trout are 15 to 19 inches.

Park has a big population of spinyrayed species and isn’t expected to produce good fishing, except during the first few days of the season.

Lenore Lake, north of Soap Lake, holds 16- to 28-inch Lahontan cutthroat. The selective fishery lake is now open to catch-and-release fishing. Anglers can start keeping one a day on June 1.

Lenice, Nunnally and Merry, also selective fishery lakes, are expected to provide excellent fishing for rainbows and some browns this year. Most of the rainbows in Lenice and Nunnally are 13 to 20 inches long. Rainbows average 14 inches at Merry.

Anglers should be aware that thieves have broken into anglers’ vehicles on the Lenice and Nunnally parking areas periodically the last few years, and are likely to do so this year. The parking areas are out of sight of the lakes.

The Potholes Reservoir is a big fish factory. Anglers can expect to catch smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleyes, perch, crappies, bluegills and trout. Walleye and bass fishing has been excellent the last couple of years, but fishing for bluegills and crappies has been poor and most of the perch are small.

Moses Lake will provide fair fishing for rainbows and largemouth bass. Walleye fishing has been picking up the last year or two. Crappie and bluegill fishing will be poor.

Many fly fishers will spend time at Rocky Ford Creek, one of the top spring creeks in the West. Rainbows in the stream see fly patterns every day and are extremely wary and difficult to catch. Fly fishers have been hooking rainbows up to 24 inches this spring.

Lake Roosevelt is a good place to troll for large kokanee and rainbows. Best fishing is in March, but it can be good at times during April, May and June. The kokanee and rainbows are 13 to 22 inches long.

Lake Roosevelt also is a favorite with walleye fishermen.

Two fly-fishing-only and two selective-fishery lakes in Okanogan and Douglas counties hold large trout. They are Aeneas and Chopaka, fly-fishing only, and Ell and Grimes, selective fishery.

Aeneas, southwest of Tonasket, is expected to produce good fly fishing this year. Most yearling rainbows will be about 12 inches. Carryover fish are 14 to 18 inches long.

Fishing may be only fair this year at Grimes, a selective fishery lake in Douglas County.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Bring your boat Jameson Lake south of Mansfield has the potential to be one of Washington’s top trout producers on opening weekend. If the water level drops, fishing could be good, with yearling rainbows averaging about 11 inches. However, high water could block access points. Info: Jameson Lake Resort, (509) 683-1141.