Fish may be smaller, but still plentiful near Spokane

Spokane County, as usual, will produce some of the best trout fishing in the state when Washington’s general lowland lake fishing season opens April 26.

Most anglers won’t notice a difference from last year’s hot early-season bite. Serious anglers, however, may notice the fish being slightly fewer and smaller.

“All the lakes have a little more competition from non-trout species this year, and the late spring has given the trout less time to start feeding and putting on size,” said Chris Donley, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife district biologist.

Badger and Williams lakes should be among the best for a combination of rainbows and cutthroats. In the same elite league are Fishtrap and West Medical, which are stocked only with rainbows.

Clear Lake has a mixed bag of largemouth bass and crappie as well as rainbows and, as Donley put it, “some of the nicest-quality brown trout you’ll find, if you can catch them.”

Fish Lake, along the Cheney-Marshall Road, has a rare mix of trout for this area, with tiger trout and a few Eastern brook trout. Access is through a Spokane County park, which usually is soggy in the spring.